Agronomic performance and grain quality assessment of selected maize genotypes in the Black Sea Region of Türkiye.

INTRODUCTION

This study assessed the agronomic performance, grain composition, and mineral traits of six maize genotypes grown under Black Sea conditions in Türkiye during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons.

METHODS

The experiment took place in Samsun-Bafra using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Agronomic and morphological traits included days to pollen shedding, plant height, ear height, grain moisture, and grain yield, while grain quality was evaluated through compositional traits (ash, fat, protein, cellulose, and starch) and mineral concentrations (Fe, Cu, Mn, Ca, and Mg). Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models, while correlation and principal component analyses were used only as exploratory descriptive tools to visualize general trait relationships and genotype-year tendencies.

RESULTS

Significant effects of genotype and year were observed for days to pollen shedding, plant height, and ear height. Grain moisture was significantly influenced by year and the interaction between genotype and year, whereas grain yield was primarily affected by genotype. Among the tested genotypes, P2088 yielded the highest average grain yield (14.50 t ha-1), while KALUMET showed the latest flowering and the tallest plants. Protein content was the only compositional trait significantly impacted by genotype, with DKC6680 showing the highest average protein content (10.33%) and P2088 the lowest (9.16%). Conversely, mineral traits remained statistically stable across genotypes and years.

DISCUSSION: Overall, the findings provide preliminary information on the regional performance of six maize genotypes under Black Sea ecological conditions and may support further multi-location testing before cultivar recommendation.