Analysis of Nutrient-Specific Response of Maize Hybrids in Relation to Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Remote Sensing

Atala Szabó; Seyed Mohammad Nasir Mousavi; Csaba Bojtor; Péter Ragán; János Nagy; Attila Vad; Árpád Illés

doi:10.3390/plants11091197

Analysis of Nutrient-Specific Response of Maize Hybrids in Relation to Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Remote Sensing

Plants (Basel). 2022 Apr 28;11(9):1197. doi: 10.3390/plants11091197.

Authors

Atala Szabó¹, Seyed Mohammad Nasir Mousavi¹, Csaba Bojtor¹, Péter Ragán¹, János Nagy¹, Attila Vad², Árpád Illés¹

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Land Use, Engineering and Precision Farming Technology, University of Debrecen, 138 Böszörményi St., H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
² Institutes for Agricultural Research and Educational Farm (IAREF), Farm and Regional Research Institutes of Debrecen (RID), Experimental Station of Látókép, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.

Abstract

Leaf area index (LAI) indicates the leaf area per ground surface area occupied by a crop. Various methods are used to measure LAI, which is unitless and varies according to species and environmental conditions. This experiment was carried out in three different nitrogen ranges (control, 120 kg N ha^-1, and 300 kg N ha^-1) + PK nutrient levels, with five replications used for leaf area measurement on seven different maize hybrids. Hybrids had different moisture, protein, oil, and starch contents. N (1, 2) + PK treatments had a desirable effect on protein, starch, and yield. P0217 LAI had a minimal response at these fertiliser levels. LAI for Sushi peaked at different dates between control and fertiliser treatments. This result showed that Sushi has an excellent capacity for LAI. LAI values on 15 June 2020 showed minimum average values for all hybrids, and it had a maximum average values on 23 July 2020. LAI had maximum performance between the average values treatments in Sushi, Armagnac, Loupiac, and DKC4792 on 15 June 2020. This study also provides insights for examining variably applied N doses using crop sensors and UAV remote-sensing platforms.

Keywords: LAI; factor analysis; maize; regression analysis.

Grants and funding

Project no. TKP2021-NKTA-32 has been implemented with the support provided from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund of Hungary, financed under the TKP2021- NKTA funding scheme and supported by the project EFOP-3.6.3-VEKOP-16-2017-00008.