STUDIES ON SOURCE-SINK RELATIONSHIP IN HYBRID MAIZE (Zea mays L.)

Present study aims to investigate the source-sink relationship in hybrid maize (Zea mays L.). A field experiment was conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, during rabi, 2013-14 by selective defoliation and to know the consequent influence on crop microclimate. The study consisted of 14 treatments for analyzing the relationship. The results revealed that growth components like plant height, DMP and yield components like grain and stover yield were influenced by leaf removal. The source-sink relationship was negatively correlated with leaf removal, explaining 82% of variation in yield. With leaf removal explaining there was a linear relationship between implying with. More the leaves removed, lesser the yield attributes as exhibited by T12 and T13, wherein only single leaf was allowed as source. However, the cob leaf as a source possibly translocated more to the sink in compared to tassel leaf as the former was closer to the sink. The higher light interception in T1 and low in T12 coupled with low and high canopy temperature respectively could be attributed as reasons for their relative performance.