Growth, yield and economics of hybrid maize (Zeamays L.) as affected by plant density and fertilizer levels

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2021–2022 at the Bagusala Experimental Farm of MSSSoA, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Gajapati, Odisha, to find out the influence of plant density and levels of fertilizer on growth, yield and economics of maize. Split plot design was adopted to conduct the experiment with 3 plant densities as main plot (P1: 76923, P2: 66666 and P3: 55555 plants/ha) and 4 levels of fertilizer as subplots (F1: 75% of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), F2: 100% RDF, F3: 125% RDF and F4: 150% RDF) having total twelve treatment combinations and three replications. The results revealed that there was no significant effect of different plant densities of maize on growth attributes such as plant height, number of leaves/plant and leaf area index (LAI) during peak period. But the treatment P1: 76923 plants/ha, showed significantly higher dry matter accumulation as well as yield compared to remaining plant densities. However, among the levels of fertilizers F4: 150% of RDF resulted significantly higher all the growth and yield parameters. The treatment combination P1F4 (P1: 76923 plans/ha along with F4: 150% of RDF) proved as best treatment combination because of highest net return (Rs. 83032/-) and B:C ratio (1.65).