Response of Maize (Zea Mays L.) Varieties to Row Spacing at Boloso Sore District, Southern Ethiopia

Table of content

ABSTRACT

1. INTRODUCTION

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1. Description of the Study Area
2.2. Experimental Materials and Design
2.3. Agronomic Practices
2.5. Data Collection and Measurements
2.6. Statistical Data Analysis

3. Results and discussion
3.1. Number of Ears Per Plant
3.2. Ear length (cm)
3.3. Ear Diameter (cm)
3.4. Number of Kernel Per Ear
3.5. Number of kernel row per ear
3.6. Number of Kernel Per Row
3.7. Thousand Kernels Weight
3.8. Grain Yield (t∙ha−1)

4. Conclusion and Recommendations

5. REFERENCES

ABSTRACT

The determination of optimum planting density is a key to increase production of maize in dryer and nutrient limited areas of Ethiopia. At Boloso Sore district, where the annual precipitation and soil fertility are limited, farmers grow maize traditionally using 0000 cm plant spacing regardless of the agronomic characteristic of the varieties and conditions of the location}. In this context, a field experiment was conducted during 2019 main cropping season at Boloso Sore district with the objective of evaluating different maturing varieties and row spacing on yield and yield components of maize. Four row spacing (50, 65, 70 and 80 cm) and three maize varieties (BH-540, BH-543 and BH-547) were tested in factorial arrangement laid out in RCBD replicated three times. The result indicated that most of the parameters, number of ears per plant, number of kernels per rows, 1000-kernel weight and grain yield were significantly influenced by the interaction effect of row spacing and varieties. Ear length, ear diameter, number of kernel per ear and number of kernel row per ear showed a decreasing trend with decreasing inter-row spacing for all varieties. The highest (8.9 t ha-1) and lowest (4.7 t ha-1) grain yield of maize were obtained from row spacing of 70 cm and 50 cm with respective variety of BH-543 and BH-540. Hence, considering the yield obtained from the current study, BH543 together with row spacing of 70 cm can be suggested for higher maize production in southern Ethiopia.

Keywords: Row Spacing, Variety, yield and yield components

1. INTRODUCTION

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world. It ranks third in world production after wheat and rice 1. Ethiopia is the fourth largest maize producing country in Africa, and first in the East African region in terms of production 2. Presently maize is widely grown in most parts of the world over a wide range of environmental conditions ranging between 50º latitude north and south of the equator 3.

Maize is an important field crop in terms of area coverage, production and utilization in Ethiopia. It ranks second in area coverage (after teff) and first in total production among cereals 4. It is grown for its food and feed values and one of the most important staples and cash crops and the main sources of calories 5. In view of its high demand for food grains and high yield per unit area, maize has been among the leading food grains selected to achieve food self-sufficiency in Ethiopia 6.The major maize producing regions in Ethiopia are Oromia, Amhara, and SNNPRS in descending order 4.

The national average productivity of maize was 4.09 ton ha-1 4. In SNNPRS, maize ranked first in terms of area coverage and production among cereals and its average yield was 3.93 ton ha-1 4. Wolaita zone is one of the most important maize producing zones in SNNPR State. According to CSA 4 report, at Wolaita zone, maize is the first leading crops among cereals in area coverage, and its zonal average yield was 3.01 tha-1.

Despite the large area coverage, various merits and high yielding potential, the national average yield (4.09 tha-1) are low 7 compared to developed countries’ average yield which is about 6.2 tha-1 8. This low yield may be attributed to the combination of several production constraints among which unchecked improved varieties for the agro- ecological zones, poor agronomic practices like non-optimum plant population (spacing), poor soil fertility, soil acidity, drought, insects, diseases and weeds, farmers’ limited access to fertilizers and untimely field operations play a major role 9.

Plant density (spacing) is one of the factors that affect yield by influencing yield components such as the number of ears, the number of kernels per ear, number of kernels row, and number of kernels per row and kernel seed weight 10.Therefore, plant density and arrangement of plants in a unit area greatly determine resource utilization such as light, nutrients, and water; it affects the rate and extent of vegetative growth and development of crops particularly that of leaf area index, plant height, root length and density, yield and yield components, development of important diseases and pests, and the seed cost 11. Hence, optimum plant density will lead to the effective utilization of soil moisture, light and nutrients, etc. 12.

Maize varieties may be dissimilar in agronomic characters due to row width, hill spacing and plant population density that affect production per unit area. Maize varieties differed with different row spacing, plant density and hill spacing. Maize varieties differences on agronomic characters and grain yield. However; this study agree with that of 13 indicated that agronomic practices such as row spacing and varieties are observed to affect crop environment, which influences the yield and yield components of maize.

Optimum plant density for maximum grain yield per unit area may differ from varieties to varieties because of significant interactions between varieties and densities 7. However, in Ethiopia, maize spacing recommendation of has been used indiscriminately for a long time without taking into account the numerous morphological differences that exist among maize varieties as well as the existence of soil and climatic differences or giving similar spacing recommendation for all varieties 14. So it is important to determine the optimum plant density for maize varieties depending on environmental factors (soil fertility, moisture supply) and agronomic management practices to get maximum yield 15.

Wolaita zone maize is the first leading crops among cereals in area coverage, and its zonal average yield was 3.01 tha-14, whereas 8 to 10 t ha-1 and 5.0-6.5 tha-1 of yield were reported for improved maize varieties at research and farmers field, respectively 14. Even though maize zonal yield (3.01 tha-1) are low 4 as compared to research station (8 to 10 tha-1), national ((4.09 tha-1) and developed countries’ average yield which is about 6.2tha-1 8.

The great majority of small holder farmers in Ethiopia are aware of the benefits of adopting input technologies to enhance their maize productivity 16. However, this awareness is mainly about some improved varieties, fertilizers, while knowledge about recommended varieties for agro-ecology and agronomic packages like optimum row spacing are almost not sufficient. Similarly, there is much area for improvement in getting farmers to adopt and implement the recommended package of agronomic management methods including proper land preparation, row spacing, time and frequency of weeding, soil acidity and proper time of harvesting 16.

According to 17 suggested that breeders should select maize varieties that combine high grain yield and desirable stover characteristics because of large differences that exist between cultivars. Also, 18 reported that maize varieties differ in their growth characters, yield and its components, and therefore suggested that breeders must put these factors into consideration during their breeding programs.

In Ethiopia, the national spacing recommendation for maize is 80cm x 40cm (62,500 plants ha-1). Most farmers in district have been using their own row spacing and agronomic practices rather than the recommended spacing’s , most of them use from 40 to 50 cm row spacing due to minimize land wastage. Some of the farmers were saying that the national maize spacing is so wide that it did not give higher yield. Moreover, they claim that compromising the land shortage with narrower row spacing may result in more yields.

However, information on the performance of maize varieties under different row spacing is small for maize production in the study area. Additional, in spite of the importance of the problem, systematic research has not been done on appropriate row spacing with best maize variety in the study area.

Hence, this study was initiated with the following objective:

- To evaluate the effect of different varieties and row spacing on yield components and yield of maize.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

2.1. Description of the Study Area

Description of the experimental site

The experiment was conducted during 2019 main cropping season on location at Boloso sore district, Chema hembecho kebele in Wolaita zone of SNNPR, Ethiopia. Chema hembecho kebele is located at 07005'N and 38029'E latitude and longitude, respectively. The altitude is 1718 meter above sea level. The mean monthly average rainfall was 88.77 mm. The average annual temperature was 25.73 0C, respectively, Areka agricultural research center metrological station. The average annual temperature was 25.78 0C, respectively (Areka agricultural research center metrological station.

2.2. Experimental Materials and Design

The experiment was conducted using factorial combinations of three maize varieties (‘BH-540’, ‘BH-543’ and ‘BH-547’) and three row spacing (50, 65, 70 and 80 cm). The gross plot size was 25.48m2 (4.9 m x 5.2 m). The recommended intra row spacing of 40cm for maize was used uniformly. The experiment was conducted using a Randomized Complete Block Design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. The block was separated by a 1.5 m wide space and each plot was separated by 0.5 m space. Each treatment was randomly assigned to the experimental unit within a block.

Table-1. Description of maize Varieties with their agro-ecological adaptations

Abbildung in dieser Leseprobe nicht enthalten

2.3 Agronomic Practices

The experimental field was prepared by using oxen plow and plowed four times, before sowing. After plowing experimental field was pulverized and leveled to get smooth seed bed. Two seeds were planted per hill. Fertilizers (100 Kg ha-1 NPS at planting) and 100 Kg ha-1 urea in two split (1/3 kg/ha at planting and 2/3 kg/ha at knee stage)) was applied after weeding. Planting was done following the planting time experienced by farmers in the area. All crop management practices such as cultivation, weeding etc., were carried out as desired.

2.5. Data Collection and Measurements

2.5.1. Yield components and yield

Number of ears per plant ( No): It was recorded from the count of ten plants randomly sampled from per net plot at harvest.

Ear length (cm): Ear length was recorded from ten randomly taken ears from the net plot area and measured from the point where ears attached to the stalk to the tip of the ear with a glass ruler after harvest and the average was recorded.

Ear diameter (cm): Ear diameter was from ten randomly taken ears as the average thickness of the ear at the middle of the ear.

Number of kernels per ear (No): Number of kernels per ear was recorded from ten randomly taken ears from net plot area and the result of each ear was summed and divided by the number of sampled ears to know the number of the kernels per ear.

Number of rows per ear (No) : Number of rows per ear was counted from ten randomly selected plants at harvesting and the result of each rows were summed and divided by the number of sampled ears to know the number of rows per ear.

Number of kernels per row (No) : It was counted from ten randomly selected plants at harvesting.

Thousand kernels weight (g): It was determined by counting the number of kernels using electronic seed counter from a bulk of shelled seed and weighing it using sensitive balance from a net plot area at harvest after adjusting to 12.5% moisture content.

Grain yield (kgha-1): the bulk grain yield per net plot was weighed after drying the grain yield seed by using sensitive balance and the weight was adjusted to 12.5% moisture level per plot was by using grain moisture tester and the result was converted to grain yield as kilogram per hectare.

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