Influences of Sowing Date and Climate Conditions on the Phenological Phases of Different Maize Hybrids

Abstract

The experiment was set up during 2016 and 2017 in the Leskovac area on an alluvial soil. For research purposes, the duration of certain phenological phases, the entire vegetation period of 6 maize hybrids, and three FAO maturity groups (400–600) were monitored. The research aims to determine the duration of each phenological phase and the entire growing season based on the number of days, the sum of the total, and the sum of the effective temperatures, and to recommend suitable hybrids for the investigated area. In terms of years and sowing dates, the difference in vegetation period between the hybrid with the longest and the hybrid with the shortest vegetation period was 38 days, the difference in SUT was 414.7°C, and the difference in SET was 240.0°C. On average over two years, the lowest sum of effective temperatures was measured at 1158.8°C for the FAO hybrid group 400, ZP 434, and the highest at 1398.9°C for the FAO hybrid group 600, NS 6030. Depending on the temperature conditions, the year in the first sowing period of the individual phases was shortened with increasing temperature. The onset of periods with lower air temperatures and the length of the phenological phases lasted longer. The method of the sum of effective temperatures proved to be the most reliable method for determining the vegetation length of the maize hybrids examined