GROWTH AND YIELD OF MAIZE AS AFFECTED BY SEED SIZE AND DEPTH OF SOWING

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the experimental farm of Shcr-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU). Dhaka. during December 2007 to May 2008 to study the influence of varying seed size and sowing depth on growth and yield of maize. The experiment consisted of three seed sizes (Si = <7 mm, S, =>7 mm'9 mm and S3= >9 mm) and lour sowing depths (D,= 2 cm D 2 =4 cm. D1=6 cm. and D =8 cm).The experiment was laid out in randomized complete Hock design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment was conducted both in the laboratory and in the fleki. Results from the experiment in pots in the laboratory showed that the highest germination percentage (91.67) and seed vigor index (28.87) were found in S03 treatment. At 15 DA.S the highest shoot length (25.11 cm), root length (24.67 cm), fresh weight (1.47 g) and dry weight (0.25 g) of shoot and fresh weight (0.61 g) and dry weight (0.26 g) of root were obtained from Sd)3 treatment. Results from field experiment at 35. 55, 75, 95, 115 DAS and at harvest showed that the tallest plant height (37.4. 77.84. 134.0, 250.2, 251.7 and 248.6 cm), maximum number of leaf per plant (8.17. 10.17. 13.58, 20.83. 20.5. 19.57), dry weight of leaf (0.59, 4.97. .31.3. 52.7, 58.15 and 5.77 g ), dry weight of stem (0.34. 3.20. 22.62, 83.16. 109.8 and 104.8 g). dry weight of root (0.49. 3.01. 14.28, 29.36. 33.96 and 35.34 g) were found in S;D treatment respectively. The highest percentage of fertile cob (78.7) at harvest, number of cobs plant' (2.75), cob length (18.11cm), diameter of cob (13.69 cm) and number of seeds cob*' (531.1), 1000 seed weight (307.60 g) were obtained from S3D3 treatment. The seed size and sowing depth had a sigiuf cant effect on grain yield. The highest grain yield (7.38 t ha 5 shown by the treatment D. The highest grain yield (7.561 ha S ') was obtained from Si. The difference of grain yield among the treatments was significant due to interaction of seed size and sowing depth. The highest grain yield (8.07 t ha') was found in S 3 D3 treatment.