The objective of the present study was evaluation for the effects of maize hybrids (SC 166, SC 176 and TWC 352) all of them are yellow grains, different nitrogen fertilizer sources (ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate and urea) and bio-fertilizer levels (0, 250 and 500 gm. Cerealin/ fad.) on growth, yield and its components and yield analysis. To assess the various treatment effects on grain yield and other morphologic traits, two field experiments were conducted in a private farm at one of the villages of Zefta District, Gharbiya Governorate, Egypt during 2014 and 2015 summer seasons.
The experimental design was set up as split-split plot in a randomized complete block with three replications. Maize hybrids and nitrogen sources consider as main and sub plots respectively, under three bio-fertilizer levels as sub sub plots. Maize hybrids had a significant effects (P< 0.01) on the grain yield in both seasons, but not on the number of rows/ear.
While the highest grain yield was obtained from planting SC166, planting SC176 gave the highest ear length, number of grains/row, number of grains/ear , shelling percentage, grain weight/ear and Oil percentage. Nitrogen sources affected significantly (p< 0.01) almost of grain yield and except shelling % its components in both seasons, were ammonium sulphate gave the highest grain yield/fad. compared to the other two forms of nitrogen. Increasing bio-fertilizer levels up to maximum level increased significantly grain yield and all of the yield components, except both shelling percentage and oil percentage, where the differences among bio-fertilizer levels in these traits were not significant.
The combined data across the two growing seasons showed that the ear length, number 0f grains/row, number of grains/ear, shelling percentage, grain weight/ear, 100-grain weight and straw and biological yield/fad. had positive and significant relationships with grain yield/fad. These results imply that most of these traits contribute to increase in grain yield.
Thus, they also form critical traits for maize improvement. Further, oil percentage showed a negative relation with grain yield/fad. path analysis study showed that the direct effect of number of row/ear was 69.11% of maize grain yield variation, while the direct effects of number of grains/row and 100-grain weight were 3.44 and 3.85% of grain yield variation, respectively.
Conclusively, from these results it could be concluded that the maize hybrid S.C.166with the use of nitrogen fertilization ammonium sulphate 20.6%with bio – fertilization500gm/fad in the area of the Nile Delta.