Maize yield in relation to rainfall and solar energy in Kenya

Abstract

An attempt has been made to relate maize yield to rainfall during 3 growth periods of the plant and to try to expIain the difference in maize yield between different places on the basis of radiation regime. In the yield/rainfall analysis, rainfall totals in the following periods Here used; sowing to tasselling, tasselling to flowering and flowering to maturity. Rainfall totals in each period were taken as independent variables. Regression analysis was carried cnt in which the following were computed; regression coefficients, (coefficient of multiple determination, standard error and the var:~- nce ratio. Using these parameters it was found that rainfall in the two stages, sOiving to tasselling and tasselling to flowering were very .important. to the ma ize crop. These had the highest significance. The rainfall in the flowering-maturity period was the least significant. In trying to explain the differences in maize yields between different places, Monteith's model for calculating gross potential photosynthesis and Porter's equation for comput ing respi.ration loss were used on 19 stations in Kenya. It was found that these differences in the maize yields could not be attributed to i!1adequate radiation being received in the areas since most of these areas had correctable net potential photos)~thesis values throughcut the year.