Increasing Planting Density of Maize Trough Double Row Cropping System to Improves Seed Yield

Abstract

Maize as the second major crop in Indonesia has an important role in the national economy. Maize production in Indonesia is potentially to be improved by the use of appropriate cultivars and cropping system. The aims of study were to evaluate the yield performances of high-yielding maize cultivars under two different cropping system. An RCBD field experiment using five high-yielding maize cultivars, namely NK212, P21, BISI 2, BISI 18 and Bima 14 were conducted at Banjar Sub-district, Pandeglang District, Banten Province, Indonesia from April to July 2020. The plants were arranged into a single row (70 × 25 cm; 5.7 plant m−2; J1) or double row (25 × 25 × 90 cm; 6.9 plant m−2; J2) cropping system. Plant growth, yield and yield components for each cultivars and cropping system were observed. Across the cultivars, the seed yield of J2 (1.34 kg m−2) was higher than that of J1 (1.71 kg m−2) due to higher number of plant m−2 that resulted greater ear number and seed number m−2. Even though J2 resulted smaller ear size (weight, length, diameter and seed weight ear−1) as compared to J1, but those were offset with greater ear number per m2 of J2. Across two cropping system, cultivar NK212 (1.75 kg m−2) was superior in seed yield, and followed with BISI 18 (1.57 kg m−2). All cultivars were consistently better under J2 than that of J1. We concluded that increasing planting density using double row cropping system, in combination with high-yielding cultivars resulted better seed yield, which is a promising way to improve maize production in Indonesia.