The effect of different irrigation quantity on the yield and some quality characteristic of corn cultivars (Zea mays L. indentata)

This study was conducted in 2023 under the conditions of Eskişehir to determine the effects of different irrigation levels on the yield and quality traits of maize cultivars. Three maize cultivars (P0937, P0900, DKC5812) were subjected to five different irrigation levels (171, 342, 513, 684, and 855 mm). The experiment was designed as a split-plot arrangement with maize varieties as the main plots and irrigation levels as the subplots, replicated three times. According to the results obtained from the experiment, statistically significant differences were found among the cultivars in terms of plant height, first ear height, ear length, thousand-kernel weight, test weight, protein content, and starch content. Additionally, statistically significant differences were observed among the irrigation levels in terms of plant height, first ear height, ear length, ear diameter, thousand-kernel weight, test weight, fat content, protein content, and starch content. According to the cultivars, plant height ranged from 262.3 cm (P0900) to 268.1 cm (DKC5812), first ear height ranged from 117.2 cm (P0900) to 127.1 cm (DKC5812), ear length varied between 17.7 cm (DKC5812) and 19.1 cm (P0937), ear diameter ranged from 47.3 mm (P0900) to 48.4 mm (DKC5812 and P0937), grain yield varied from 1272.4 (P0900) to 1285.0 kg da⁻¹ (DKC5812), thousand-kernel weight ranged from 266.5 (P0900) to 290.6 g (DKC5812), test weight varied between 76.5 (DKC5812) and 78.2 kg (P0900), ash content ranged from 1.31 (P0900) to 1.36 % (DKC5812), fat content varied from 3.67 (P0937) to 3.73% (P0900), protein content ranged from 8.60 (P0900) to 9.21% (DKC5812), and starch content varied from 72.73 (DKC5812) to 74.54% (P0900). Concerning irrigation levels, plant height ranged from 206.0 cm (171 mm) to 282.3 cm (855 mm), first ear height ranged from 97.4 (171 mm) to 128.3 cm (513 mm), ear diameter ranged from 44.8 (171 mm) to 50.6 mm (855 mm), grain yield ranged from 800.7 (171 mm) to 1606.0 kg da⁻¹ (855 mm), thousand-kernel weight varied from 232.2 (171 mm) to 316.3 g (855 mm), test weight ranged from 76.0 (171 mm) to 78.3 kg (684 mm), ash content varied between 1.30 (855 mm) and 1.35 % (171 and 342 mm), fat content ranged from 3.54 (855 mm) to 3.80 % (171 mm), protein content varied from 8.03 (855 mm) to 9.72 % (171 mm), and starch content ranged from 73.42 (171 mm) to 74.61 % (855 mm). Keywords: Corn, grain, yield, quality, irrigation, variety