Effect of Different Sowing Dates on the Performance of Maize

Abstract

The research experiment was conducted on maize in order to find out the effect of different sowing dates on the performance of maize at Entomology Field Laboratory, Department of Entomology, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensigh during Rabi season of 2016–17. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. BARI Hybrid Butta-09 variety of Maize and nine sowing dates viz. 3rd(S1) & 4th(S2) week of October; 1st(S3), 2nd(S4), 3rd(S5) & 4th(S6) week of November; 1st(S7), 2nd(S8) & 3rd(S9) week of December were used as experimental crop and sowing dates, respectively. All sowing dates showed significantly different effect on yield. The results of present investigation revealed that maximum morpho-physiological characters, yield components and yield was obtained with better quality sown on 1st week of November as sowing dates than others due to ensuring the highest plant height (223.66cm), number of cob/plant (1.73), cob length without husk (23.23cm), number of grain/cob (641.21), grain weight/cob(235.16) and maximum grain yield (10.56 t/ha), which was followed the increasing order of yield were S4<S5<S6< S7< S8< S9< S2< S1.In case of correlation between different sowing dates and yield, the present study showed that very strongly significant negative correlation between sowing dates and grain yield of maize. Therefore, considering all facts, 1st week of November as sowing date could be recommended to the maize grower for the most effective for producing of maize. Henceforth, in addition, 2nd week of November could also be suggested for second best effective sowing date where second crop of cropping pattern is not available or not apply in the field.