• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.93-103
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• 2020

The average growth day of 11 maize varieties from planting to silking in the first cropping (FC) was 89.5 days and in the second cropping (SC) was 46.7 days, which was 43 days faster than in the FC. The average 100-kernel weight (100 KW) in the FC was 28.4 g and 18.3 g in the SC, which was approximately 36.4% lower than that in the FC. The average crude oil content of FC was 3.97% and SC was 3.08%, which was about 0.89% lower than that of FC. The composition of stearic and oleic acid was significantly higher in FC, whereas palmitic and linoleic acid were higher in SC; however, linolenic acid was not statistically different between the two crops. The crude oil content was negatively correlated with linoleic acid (FC -0.264^ns, SC -0.504**) and positively correlated with linolenic acid (0.526**). Unsaturated fatty acid (USFA) composition showed a significant difference between FC (83.48%) and SC (82.96%). Total phytosterol content was 598.3 mg/100 g and 701.9 mg/100 g in FC and SC, respectively, and showed significant difference by planting dates. The β-sitosterol content showed no statistical difference between the planting dates, but campesterol and stigmasterol were significantly higher in SC than in FC. Therefore, it was considered that the temperature condition during the ripening period affects the 100 KW of maize, and this leads to the variation in phytosterol content. However, among phytosterols, β-sitosterol was relatively little affected by the planting dates. USFA composition showed a significantly negative correlation with phytosterol content. Considering the results, the relatively high phytosterol content in SC was mainly because of the delay in progress of starch accumulation as daily air temperature decreased from the middle of the ripening period, whereas progress of phytosterol accumulation in the maize kernel was considered relatively faster than that of starch accumulation.