Abstract:
Maize is one of the most important food crops
worldwide. It has a remarkable productive potential.
However, considerable variation exists among varieties
in morphology and growth habit. Management of
a maize crop with respect to interaction of genotype and
environment requires specific knowledge of maize
growth and development. Maize (Zea mays L.) and all major cereal crops are
members of the grass family, Gramineae. Worldwide,
wheat, maize, and rice are produced in greater quantities
than any other crop. Of these crops, maize has the
highest average yield per hectare (Table 1). Although it
occupies less land area than either wheat or nee, it is
second only to wheat in total production.
Maize has the basic structure of the grass family, having
conspicuous nodes and internodes on the stem. The
leaves grow in two opposite ranks; one leaf per node
Maize is botanically unique among the cereal crops. It
is monoecious (having separate male and female inflorescences
on the same plant) and it produces grains
on lateral rather than terminal branches.
