Effect of Planting Arrangements on the Performance of Winter Maize Varieties

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Agrotechnology Field Laboratory, Khulna University, Khulna, during the period from November 2006 to April 2007 to study the effect of variety and planting arrangements on the performance of winter maize varieties. The study included four maize varieties, namely BARI maize3, BARI maize5, Shuvra and Barnali, and three planting arrangements viz; one plant hill⁻¹ (20 cm apart), two plants hill⁻¹ (40 cm apart) and three plants hill⁻¹ (60 cm apart). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Results showed that both variety and planting arrangement exerted significant influence on most of the plant characters studied. The highest grain yield (7.92 t ha⁻¹), the maximum cobs plant⁻¹ (1.09), fertile cobs plot⁻¹ (52.24) and grains cob⁻¹ (393.16) was produced by BARI maize5. On the other hand, the lowest grain yield (4.71 t ha⁻¹), minimum cobs plant⁻¹ (1.02) and grains cob⁻¹ (355.15) was obtained from Barnali. The present study revealed that one plant hill⁻¹ showed the better performance. The highest grain yield (6.68 t ha⁻¹), circumference of cob (14.47 cm), maximum rows of grains cob⁻¹ (12.96), heaviest cob (209.46 g), maximum cobs plant⁻¹ (1.07), fertile cobs plot⁻¹ (51.94) and grains cob⁻¹ (386.50) was produced by one plant hill⁻¹. Poor performance was showed by three plants hill⁻¹, which produced the lowest grain yield (5.94 t ha⁻¹), circumference of cob (13.89 cm), minimum rows of grains cob⁻¹ (12.77), lightest cob (198.94 g), minimum cobs plant⁻¹ (1.03), fertile cobs plot⁻¹ (49.23) and grains cob⁻¹ (361.33). Three plants hill⁻¹ gave the highest plant height (241.64 cm), whereas lowest plant height (234.85 cm) was produced by the one plant hill⁻¹. BARI maize5 with one plant hill⁻¹ showed the better performance, which gave the highest grain yield (8.39 t ha⁻¹), circumference of cob (14.67 cm), heaviest cob (230.50 g), maximum cobs plant⁻¹ (1.13), cobs plot⁻¹ (54.20) and grains cob⁻¹ (416.66). Poor performance showed by Barnali with three plants hill⁻¹, which produced the lowest grain yield (4.33 t ha⁻¹), lowest circumference of cob (13.27 cm), lightest cob (181.77 g), minimum cobs plant⁻¹ (1.00), lowest cobs plot⁻¹ (48.43) and grains cob⁻¹ (350.07). It was observed from the results that BARImaize5 with one plant hill⁻¹ found to be the best combination for the maximum growth and yield.