ROLES OF CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM AS SELECTION FACTORS IN SWEET CORN QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ON ACIDIC RED-YELLOW PODSOLIC SOIL
Abstract: The cultivation of
sweet corn (Zea mays L. spp. saccharata {Sturt.} Bailey) on acidic red-yellow
podsolic (RYP) soil in Lampung, Indonesia was hampered by the low fertility and
pH of the soil. Soil amendment with Ca
and Mg would improve growth and development of the sweet corn cultivars, as
well as differentiating environments in selecting for adaptive cultivars.
Aglime, dolomite, Portland cement, and a mixture of 3 aglime: 2 dolomite (w/w)
were applied on LASS Yellow-Round (Y-R), LASS Yellow-wrinkle (Y-w), Bicolor and
LAS Yellow-wrinkle (Y-w). The results indicated
that the kinds of Ca and the doses apllication were capable to differentiate
the sweet corn cultivars. Aglime 400 kg
ha-1 was the best treatment to modify plant environment as selection factor
followed by cement 400, dolomite 200 and aglime-dolomite mixture 400 kg ha-1.
They improved the growth of the cultivars as well. The characters of interest
of the cultivar had complied with those of commercial standard, except for
plant height, ear diameter, and kernel-rows ear-1. However, since the genetic
variation and broad-sense heritability values for those characters were
essentially zero, the subsequent improvement would require genes from the
outside populations.
Author: Saiful Hikam, Paul B.
Timotiwu
Journal Code: jppertaniangg160006