الفهرس 
GROWTH charACTERS:
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Abstract
The present work to investigate the effect of organic fertilization (compost) rates, hill spacing and nitrogen fertilizer levels as well as their interactions on growth, yield and its components of maize (Zea mays L.) variety Single Cross Pioneer 30 K 9 (S.C.P. 30 K 9). Two field experiments were carried out at the Experimental Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, during the two successive summer seasons of 2006 and 2007.
•The most important results obtained from this investigation can be summarized as follows:
A. EFFECT OF ORGANIC FERTILIZATION (COMPOST) RATES:
All yield components and yield i.e. number of ears/plant, ear length (cm), ear diameter (cm), number of rows/ear, number of grains/row, ear grains weight (g), shelling %, 100-grain weight (g) and grain yield (ardab/fed) were responded significantly as a result of applying organic fertilization (compost) rates in both seasons, except shelling % which the differences did not reach to level of significance in the first season only. Organic fertilization (compost) at 4 t/fed treatment gave the highest values of these characters in both seasons.
B. EFFECT OF HILL SPACINGS:
Number of ears/plant, ear length (cm), ear diameter (cm), number of rows/ear, number of grains/row, ear grains weight (g), shelling %, 100-grain weight (g) and grain yield (ardab/fed) were increased by increasing plant spacings (30 cm between hills) in both seasons. Increasing plant spacings from 20 to 25 cm markedly increased grain yield/fed from 28.97 to 30.03 ardab/fed in the first season, and from 30.64 to 31.54 ardab/fed in the second season. While, increasing plant spacings from 25 through 30 cm between hills significantly decreased grain yield/fed up to 26.63 and 28.22 ardab/fed for the first and second seasons, respectively. Generally, 25 cm between hills (medium space) surpassed other plant spacings in grain yield (ardab/fed). It was followed by 20 cm between hills without significant differences in aforementioned character in the first and second seasons.
C. EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER LEVELS:
Raising nitrogen fertilizer levels from 50 to 125 kg N/fed showed a significant increase on all yield components (number of ears/plant, ear length (cm), ear diameter (cm), number of rows/ear, number of grains/row, ear grains weight (g), shelling %, 100-grain weight (g) and grain yield (ardab/fed). In both seasons. Fertilizing maize plants with 125 kg N/fed gave the highest values of all yield components and grain yield, except shelling % which resulted from fertilizing maize plants with 100 kg N/fed. Moreover, 125 kg N/fed came in the first rank in grain yield (ardab/fed), while 100 kg N/fed treatment came in the second rank in the previously mentioned characters without significant differences between them in both seasons.
CONCLUSION
Generally, it can be concluded according to the obtained results from this study that, sowing maize plants Single Cross Pioneer 30 K 9 at 25 cm space between hills and adding 4 t/fed compost as well as 100 or 125 kg N/fed can be consider the best treatment for raising maize productivity under the environmental conditions of El-Mansoura region.