YIELD COMPONENTS OF DIFFERENT HYBRIDS OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.) CULTIVATED IN SOUTH ROMANIA UNDER DROUGHT CONDITIONS

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the most important crop in Romania as harvested area. The grain yield is determined by the yield components, these been the elements which participate to the yield formation. These components have to be known by farmers, as well as the farmers have to understand the plant responses to drought. Thus, the farmers will have the possibility for a correct choice of hybrids and to take appropriate decisions as a premise to obtain the best yield for the specific soil and climatic conditions. The aim of the paper was to present the results obtained at an assortment of maize hybrids regarding yield components and grain yield under the soil and climatic conditions from South Romania in the drought year 2012. Ten hybrids created in Romania were studied, respectively: Cera 270, Cera 290, Cera 370, Cera 390, Cera 6, Cera 420, Cera 2504, Cera 4505, Baragan 48, and Cera 10. The hybrids were studied in four different locations in South Romania, respectively: Fundulea - Calarai County; Valcelele - Calarai County; Viani - Braila County; Posta Calnau - Buzau County. Some of the studied maize hybrids (CERA 10, CERA 390, CERA 270, CERA 2504, CERA 420, CERA 290) showed to have the potential to produce good grain yield (more than 4 tons/ha) under water stress. The grain yield obtained in 2012 in South Romania at the studied hybrids of maize was between 24.1 and 53.4% from the yield obtained in favourable climatic conditions. It is interesting to notice that at the studied hybrids of maize the weight components of yield are much more affected by drought than the numerical component of yield.