Influence of plant densities and fertilization on maize grains by near-infrared spectroscopy

Near-infrared spectroscopy is a rapid process analytical technology for measuring a wide range of constituents of biological materials. The objective of the current study was to investigate maize grains grown under different levels of fertilization and plant densities using near-infrared spectroscopy. Maize grains from the same plant density had their protein content increased with doses of nitrogen. In addition, it was observed the decrease in protein content with the increase in plant densities. Except for ash content, models for the assessed parameters indicated that near-infrared spectra has the potential for fast assessment of maize grains.