ANALYSIS OF SOME BIOMETRIC PARAMETERS IN THE CHARACTERIZATION OF CORN EAR

Abstract

The study analyzed the variation of some biometric parameters in corn ears, the 'Oana' hybrid. The experiment was carried out within ARDS Lovrin, under non-irrigated crop system conditions. The ear samples were harvested at physiological maturity. The analyzed parameters were represented by: ear length (EL), row number (RN), grains number on rows (GNR), ear weight (CW), grains weight (GW) and cob weight (CW). Ear length varied between EL = 18.00 – 20.75±0.41 cm; row number presented values between RN = 16.00 – 16.50±0.11; grains number on rows presented values between GNR = 43.75 – 49.25±0.76; ear weight presented the values EW = 0.86 – 1.04±0.03 kg; grains weight varied between GW = 0.73 – 0.87±0.03 kg; cob weight varied between CW = 0.13 - 0.17±0.01 kg. The Anova test confirmed the presence of variance and the statistical reliability of the recorded data (F calculated > F crit, p<0.001; Alpha = 0.001). High variability was recorded in the case of cob weight (CV=10.1184), and low variability in the case of row number (CV=1.5971). Intermediate values were recorded for the other analyzed parameters, respectively CV = 4.0769 for GNR, CV = 5.3064 for EL, CV = 7.6181 for GW, respectively CV = 7.9539 for EW. Correlation of varying intensity levels was recorded between analyzed parameters (e.g. r=0.991 between EW and GW; r=0.949 between EL and GNR; r=0.845 between CW and EW). The regression analysis facilitated the finding of equations and graphic models that described the variation of EW and GW in relation to EL and RN parameters, under statistical safety conditions (R²=0.982 in the case of EW; R²=0.974 in the case of GW). From the equations obtained (values of the coefficients) as well as from the graphic models, it was found that the EL parameter had a determining influence (compared to RN) in the variation of the EW and GW parameters.