The growth and yield of hybrid maize on shaded agroecosystem

Abstract

The development of maize in shade areas is one of the efforts to increase the national maize production.The study objective was to determine the growth and yield adaptation of hybrid maize in shaded areas. The study was conducted in the sengon forest area of Kalices Village, Patehan District, Kendal Regency from March to September 2020. The study was designed using a randomized block design with split-split plots with treatments including: a) shade density (0%, 20% and 40%) as the main plot; b) cultivation technology (PTT and existing farmers) as sub-plots; and c) varieties (JH 37, Nasa 29 and Bisi 18) as sub-plots. Each treatment was replicated 3 times in order to obtain 18 treatment combinations and each replication was planted in a plot with a size of 350 m2. The parameters observed included the percentage of plants growing, plant height at harvest, age 50% male flowers, age 50% female flowers, cob height, cob length, cob weight, cob diameter, number of rows per cob, number of seeds per row, weight of dry seeds, seed moisture content, yield per plot and yield per hectare. The data were processed by analysis of variance and if there is a significant difference, it was further tested with DMRT at the 5% level. The results showed that the shading had a very significant effect on most of the yield components, namely cob length, number of seed rows per cob, wet and dry shell weight per 10 cobs, wet stubble weight per 10 plants, wet stubble weight, and dry shell weight. However, there is no significant effect on the growth components of growth power, cob circumference and cob position. The growth and yield adaptation of maize was better at 20% shade density compared to 40% shade density. On land with a shade density of 20%, the highest productivity was obtained in the Bisi 18 of 5.9 t/ha with a potential yield of 62.7%, followed by Nasa 29 of 5.8 t/ha with a potential yield of 58.41%, and JH 37 as much as 5.2 t/ha with a potential yield of 25%.