Abstract

Popcorn (Zea mays everta Sturt.) is a popular and nutritious snack food. Environmental factors affecting grain yield and yield-related components of popcorn are needed to compensate increasing demand. This research was conducted to determine the effects of nitrogen fertilizer application rates and plant densities on grain yield and yield-related plant characteristics of popcorn in Hatay, located at Southern Mediterranean region of Turkey, during 2002 and 2003. The experiment was designed in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement with three replications. Nitrogen doses of 0, 120, 180 and 240 kg haˉ¹ were arranged in the main plots and plant densities of 60,000, 74,000, 88,000 and 102,000 plants haˉ¹ were arranged in the sub-plots. Popcorn grain yield and yield-related traits were significantly affected by nitrogen doses and plant densities. Our results indicated that suitable nitrogen dose and plant density were 180 kg N haˉ¹ and  88 000 plants haˉ¹ for popcorn grown as a second crop in Hatay ecological conditions in Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey.

Key words: Popcorn, nitrogen, density, yield.