Maize Yield Performance Under Planting Patterns and Row Spacing in Semi-Arid Zone of Pakistan-Mardan
Maize Yield Performance Under Planting Patterns and Row Spacing in Semi-Arid Zone of Pakistan-Mardan
Shakir Ali1, Zia Ul Haq1, Abdul Malik1, Tariq Mahmood Khalil1,2* and Ijaz Ahmad Khan3
ABSTRACT
A field study was conducted to investigate the effect of different planting patterns and row spacing on maize yield in the semi-arid zone of Pakistan–Mardan. The experiment was set in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates. Effect of five planting patterns i.e. P1 (Flat planting, row spacing 60 cm), P2 (Ridge-Furrow planting, row spacing 60 cm), P3 (Ridge-Furrow planting, row spacing 75 cm), P4 (Bed planting, row spacing 60 cm, in double rows planting, bed width 60 cm) and P5 (Bed planting, row spacing 75 cm, double row planting, bed width 60 cm) was investigated using Malakand maize variety. The beds and ridges height were kept 15 cm while plant-plant distance of 20 cm was maintained for all the patterns. From statistical results of the data, it was observed that flat pattern P1 produced significantly (P<0.05) higher grain (7568.7 kg ha-1) and biomass (17571.2 kg ha-1) yield as compared to P5 that produced 6160.85 kg ha-1 grain and 11340.65 kg ha-1 biomass. The planting pattern P2 is par with P1 produced 6944.5 kg ha-1 grain yield and 16500.7 kg ha-1 of biomass. No significant effect was found in yield among P2, P3 and P4. Similarly, no statistically significant difference was observed in days taken to 50% seedling emergence, leaf area (LA) and plant height (PH) among the different planting patterns. In order to maximize maize yield, it is recommended that maize should be raised on flat pattern keeping row spacing 60 cm.
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