Agronomic Performance of Maize Hybrids Influenced by Sowing Dates and Plant Spacing

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif, 2020 at Agronomy Research Farm, Faculty of agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Wadura, Sopore in Split- split plot design with three dates of sowing viz; 17th SMW (D1), 19th SMW (D2) and 21st SMW (D3) as main plot treatments, three varied row spacing viz; 50 cm×20 cm (S1), 60 cm × 20 cm (S2) and 70 cm×20 cm (S3) as sub- plot treatments and two maize hybrids viz; Hytech- 5801 and YSH- 1 as sub- sub plot treatments. The conclusion of the demonstration showed that growth parameters viz., plant height, dry matter production, LAI, functional leaves per plant increased significantly for the crop sown on 17th SMW(D1) with a concomitant increase in its yield attributing factors, ie., cob length, cob girth, number of grains per cob and test weight and yield. The growth, yield and yield attributing factors also recorded highest values with a plant spacing of 70 cm× 20 cm (S3). As far as hybrids are concerned, growth characters showed significant and consistent increase in hybrid Hytech-5801 (H1) compared to hybrid YSH-1 (H2) with an associated increase in yield and yield attributing factors.