Abstract

An experiment carried out at the Field Crop Research Station / State Board for Agricultural Research during 2006 and 2007 seasons. The study aimed to investigats the effect of tillers in plant growth and its yield in maize. Six genotypes were used in this study included; (Research 106, 5012, Rabe, Masarra) synthetics, and (3003 and A5XR5) hybrids. Experiment factorial in a randomized complete block design with four replications was used. Results showed the average of tillers number per plant differs from season to season, 106 Research gave higher number of tillers in the 2006 season (2.1) tillers, where as the hybrid A5XR5 gave the highest number of tillers per plant in 2007 (2.3) tillers. No effect of tillers in plant height at 2006 but their is effect in plant height at 2007. The genotypes without tillers showed higher plant height (1.17) m more ever gave higher leaf area in both seasons averaged (0.33) m2 and (0.29) m2 at 2006 and 2007 respectively. Leaf number not affected by plant with and without tillers at 2006 season, while at 2007 the genotypes without tillers gave higher number of leaves per plant as it averaged (14.0) leaves. The genotypes without tillers gave higher yield in both season (121.1 and 95.71) gm per plant respectively. Can be conclude there were negative effect of tillers in plant yield, also to increase maize productivity should be produce genotypes tillerless.