Manuscript Title:

HYBRID MAIZE RESPONSES TO VARIABLE PLANTING DENSITIES UNDER IRRIGATED SEMI-ARID CONDITIONS

Author:

WASI-UD-DIN, ABDUL KHALIQ, ASIF TANVEER, ABDUL WAHID

DOI Number:

DOI:10.5281/zenodo.12697167

Published : 2024-07-10

About the author(s)

1. WASI-UD-DIN - Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
2. ABDUL KHALIQ - Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
3. ASIF TANVEER - Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
4. ABDUL WAHID - Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Full Text : PDF

Abstract

Maize productivity is influenced significantly by various factors, including the choice of variety and plant population density. These factors interplay to determine the growth dynamics, resource utilization, and ultimately, the yield of maize crops. To determine how maize hybrid responded to varying plant density, field trials were conducted in 2011 and 2012. The experiments were organized using a split-plot layout within the framework of a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Two maize hybrids, Pioneer-30Y87 (H1) and Syngenta-6621(H2) were planted in main plots with different population densities i.e. 66607, 83333, 111111, and 166667 plants per hectare in subplots keeping plant-to-plant distances 25, 20, 15 and 10 cm, respectively. Measurements of plant characteristics like phenology, growth, and yield were done using standard methods. Hybrid Pioneer-30Y87 took statically a greater number of days to tasselling (48.41 & 47.90), silking (54.40 & 53.33) as compared to Syngenta-6621 (45.66 & 44.65) for tasselling, and (51.83 & 51.20) for silking in 2011 and 2012, respectively when compared under different plant population densities. The highest grain yields were recorded at 7.66 t/ha for Pioneer-30Y87 and 7.08 t/ha for Syngenta-6621. A planting density of 111111 plants per hectare produced the highest LAI, TDM, and grain yield as compared to others. Differences in grain yield among population densities remained significant and reached to the maximum value of 6.65, 7.43, 8.26, and 8.07 t ha-1 for P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively. P3 (111111 plants ha-1 ) attained maximum grain yield while the minimum was in P1 (66607 plants ha-1 ). It is concluded that maize hybrid Pioneer-30Y87 should preferably be grown with a plant density of 111111 plants per hectare for obtaining high yields.


Keywords

LAI, TDM, Phenology, Grain Yield, Grain Weight, Zea Mayse.