Comportamiento de nuevos híbridos de maíz (Zea mays L.) en sistemas de producción de alta densidad con fertilización de liberación controlada, en la parroquia Lodana

Abstract

Corn (Zea mays L.) is essential for both human and animal consumption and in the food industry. In Ecuador, especially in the Coastal region, large areas of corn are cultivated, but the yield per hectare remains low, which requires optimizing agricultural practices such as planting density and fertilization. This study evaluated the behavior of two new corn hybrids under high-density planting systems and controlled fertilization in the Lodana parish, Manabí; through the use of a completely randomized block design with 27 experimental treatments, combining planting densities, hybrids and fertilizers, where growth and performance variables were evaluated. The results obtained indicate that high densities in combination with controlled release fertilization did not show significant effects on vegetative growth, but the hybrids and fertilization did influence the insertion height of the cob, highlighting the ADV-9139 hybrid. In terms of yield, high densities and hybrids had significant effects on variables such as the number of grains per row and yield per hectare, with ADV-9139 and N-25 being the most productive. Combined fertilization (conventional and controlled release) turned out to be an economically viable strategy, reducing costs and increasing profits. Therefore, the use of hybrids such as ADV-9139 and N-25, high population densities and combined fertilization is recommended to optimize the productivity and profitability of corn cultivation.