INFLUENCE OF SPACING ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF HYBRID MAIZE (Zea mays)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during November 2018 to March 2019 at the Agronomy field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka to study influence of spacinng on growth and yield of hybrid maize. The experiment comprised of two factors having two varieties (V 1 = SAU Hybrid Vutta 1 and V 2 = SAU Hybrid Vutta 2 ) and six spacing (S = 50 cm x 20 cm, S 2 =

55 cm x 20 cm, S 3 = 60 cm x 20 cm, S 4 = 65 cm x 20 cm, S = 70 cm x 20 cm and S =75 cm x 20 cm). The experiment was laid out in the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Results revealed that both the individual and the interaction treatments had effect on different growth, yield contributing and yield parameters of SAU Hybrid Vutta 1 and SAU Hybrid Vutta 2. The highest dry weight plant 6 -1 (149.81 g) was found from the spacing S . In case of yield contributing parameters the highest cob length (17.17 cm), number of grain cob (524.50), cob weight plant -1 (232.31 g) and total grain weight cob -1 6 (158.70 g) were found from the spacing S 6 . The highest grain yield (12.39 tha -1 ), stover yield (13.59 tha ), biological yield (25.99 tha -1 ) were also found S but highest harvest index (47.87%) was obtained from the spacing S 4 6 . The yield contributing parameters such as the lowest cob length (15.17 cm), number of grain cob -1 (426.00), cob weight plant -1 (176.14 g), total grain weight cob -1 (120.15 g), grain yield (9.61 tha -1 ), stover yield (10.51 tha ), biological yield (20.12 tha -1 ) were found in S but the lowest harvest index (46.56%) was obtained from the spacing S 2 1 . The highest plant height (52.27 cm, 163.07 cm and 255.67 cm at 30, 60 and 90 DAS), total grain weight cob -1 (175.27 g), grain yield (13.50 tha -1 ), stover yield (13.92 tha -1 ), biological yield (27.42 tha -1 ) and harvest index (49.29%) were obtained from the treatment combination of V 2 S . The lowest grain yield (8.19 t ha -1 ), stover yield (9.22 tha -1 ), biological yield (17.41 tha 6 -1 ) were found from treatment combination of V 1 S but the lowest harvest index (46.07%) was obtained from the treatment combination of V 1 1 S 2 . So, the treatment combination of V

can be considered as the superior treatment combination compared to other treatment combinations under the present study.