GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND YIELD OF MAIZE AS AFFECTED BY IRRIGATION LEVEL

Abstract

The study was conducted in Crop Physiology and Ecology Research Field and Laboratory, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University during the period of November 2010 to June 2011 to investigate the growth, development and yield of maize as affected by irrigation level. Three maize varieties (V|= NK 40, V2=Hybrid 981 and V3= BHM 11) and three levels of irrigation (Ip= no irrigation, I;= 300 mm irrigation in total life span and I,= 450 mm irrigation in total life span at different days after sowing) were included as experimental treatments. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Maize variety NK 40 required maximum days to attain the most of the phenological stages. The duration of tasseling, cob initiation, silking, pollen shading and maturity required the highest days in NK 40. Present study also revealed that differences in variety significantly influenced TDM, LAI, LAD, CGR, RGR and NAR. Irrigation levels also influenced the above growth parameters significantly. The results revealed that maize variety NK 40 with I, (450 mm) irrigation treatment gave the highest values of all the growth parameters. Relative leaf water content (RLWC) and moisture retention capacity (MRC) influenced due to variation in maize variety NK 40 gave the highest values of RLWC and MRC. Irrigation frequency also significantly influenced the RLWC and MRC. RLWC and MRC increased with the increasing irrigation level. Significantly higher plant height, cob length, cob diameter, number of cobs plant”, number of grain rows cob”, number of grains row’, and number of grains cob' and 100-grain weight was recorded in variety NK 40. The highest yield (5.48 t ha’') and harvest index (32.89%) was found in NK 40 (V;) and the lowest yield (4.84 t ha) and harvest index (31.28%) was obtained from V2 (Hybrid 981). Irrigation levels also significantly influenced yield and yield attributes of maize. The highest yield (5.95 t ha’) was obtained from the plant growing with I, (450 mm) treatment while the lowest yield (4.20 t ha’) was found from Ip (no irrigation). The interaction between variety and irrigation levels showed a significant variation among the growth, yield and yield attributes of maize. It is indicated that NK 40 with 450 mm irrigation showed the best performance in respect of growth, development, yield attributes, yield and harvest index of maize.