Cob Diameter Research Articles

Effect of Crop Geometry and Weed Management Practices on Yield and Yield Attributes of Spring Maize in Banke, Nepal

The experiment was conducted in Banke, Nepal, from February 2021 to May 2021 to find suitable spacing and weed management practices for spring maize. The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design in which main plots consisting of two spacings (S1:60 cm × 25 cm and S2:60 cm × 30 cm) and subplots consisting of five weed management practices as, W1: weedy check, W2: weed free, W3: atrazine @ 2 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence herbicide, W4: atrazine as pre-emergence herbicide followed by single-hand weeding at 30 DAS, and W5: straw mulch. Observations were taken for different parameters, that are, cob length, cob circumference, number of grains per cob, number of ears per hectare, thousand-grain weight, and grain yield. Based on spacing non-significant variations were found for all traits except for the number of ears per hectare. The highest number of ears per hectare (61667 ears ha-1) was found in S1 (60 cm × 25 cm). Based on weed management practices all the traits were significantly different, except the number of ears per hectare and thousand grain weight. The highest value of grain yield (6.15 mt ha-1) was found in straw mulch, and the lowest grain yield (3.72 mt ha-1) was found in the weedy check. A positive correlation was observed between yield and different weed management practices (WEM) (r = 0.5**) and other yield-attributing traits, that are, number of ears per hectare (NE) (r = 0.62**), the number of grains per cob (NK) (r = 0.82**), cob length (CL) (r = 0.47**), cob diameter (CD) (r = 0.68**), and total grain weight (TGW) (r = 0.52**). A negative correlation was observed between yield and spacing (S) (r = -0.41*).

Mulching tree leaves improve the growth, yield, and yield components of hybrid maize

The experiment was carried out at the Agroforestry Farm, Department of Agroforestry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh from November 2019 to March 2020 to assess the impact of tree leaf mulching on the growth, yield attributes, and yield of maize. The study used a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications and six treatments. These treatments were: T0=Control (no mulch), T1=Akashmoni (Acacia auriculiformis) tree leaf mulch, T2=Segun (Tectona grandis) tree leaf mulch, T3=Kalo koroi (Albizia lebbeck) tree leaf mulch, T4=Jhau (Casuarina equisetifolia) tree leaf mulch, and T5=Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) tree leaf mulch. The results showed that the Kalo koroi tree leaf mulch (T3) led to the highest values for various parameters such as plant height, number of effective tillers per plant, number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf diameter, number of cobs per plant, length, and diameter of cob, the weight of single cob, number of grains per cob, grain weight per cob, 100-grain weight, and grain yield of maize (221.18 cm, 0.93, 17.29, 79.26 cm, 7.30 cm, 4.18, 1.70, 21.11 cm, 6.08 cm, 212.12 g, 453.85 g, 138.91 g, 30.60 g, and 11.81 t/ha). Conversely, the lowest values were obtained in the control (T0) (no mulch), followed by T2 and T1 treatments (209.39 cm, 0.37, 12.5, 72.48 cm, 4.62 cm, 1.50, 15.03 cm, 4.44 cm, 202.19 g, 421.56 g, 111.55 g, 26.46 g, and 8.35 t/ha). Among the various tree leaf mulch treatments, it was found that the Kalo koroi tree leaf mulch performed better for vegetative growth, yield, and yield-contributing attributes in maize compared to the no mulch treatment. Therefore, it was suggested that tree leaf mulches could be a potential alternative to traditional mulches in maize cultivation. Res. Agric. Livest. Fish. Vol. 11, No. 2, August 2024: 205-214

Enhancing Corn (Zea mays L.) Productivity under Varying Water Regimes with At-Plant Application of Xyway Fungicide.

A fungicide's ingredients can play a physiological role in crop water-management decisions. Our greenhouse study in 2021 demonstrated that Xyway LFR@FMC at-plant fungicide can significantly improve water-saving potential in corn. In 2022 and 2023, a field study was conducted to validate this finding. The 1.11 L ha-1 of Xyway LFR@FMC and no-fungicide/check were the main plot effects. Three water regimes, high (HI) and low (LO) numbers of irrigation events and rainfed (RF), were the subplot effect. Plants treated with Xyway LFR@FMC had significantly higher plant height, stem diameter, and leaf water potential (LWP), and had 11.9, 13.4, and 18.3% higher yield under RF, LO, and HI, respectively, in 2022. In 2023, there were no significant differences for the yield components and growth parameters when the combined effect of fungicide treatments and water regimes was considered. However, plants treated with the fungicide had a higher number of rows per ear, kernel number per row, and cob diameter compared to the check. There was no significant separation for yield among the water regimes in 2023, but the crop yield was overall higher for the fungicide-treated plots. Our results indicate that Xyway LFR@FMC fungicide has the potential to improve plant growth and protect the yield when limited water is applied.

Exogenously applied nano-zinc oxide mitigates cadmium stress in Zea mays L. through modulation of physiochemical activities and nutrients homeostasis

The increasing levels of cadmium (Cd) pollution in agricultural soil reduces plant growth and yield. This study aims to determine the impact of green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) on the physiochemical activities, nutrition, growth, and yield of Zea mays L. under Cd stress conditions. For this purpose, ZnO-NPs (450 ppm and 600 ppm) synthesized from Syzygium aromaticum were applied through foliar spray to Z. mays and also used as seed priming agents. A significant decline in plant height (35.24%), biomass production (43.86%), mineral content, gas exchange attributes, and yield (37.62%) was observed in Cd-spiked plants compared to the control. While, 450 ppm ZnO-NPs primed seed increased plant height (18.46%), total chlorophyll (80.07%), improved ascorbic acid (25.10%), DPPH activity (26.66%), and soil mineral uptake (Mg+2 (38.86%), K+ (27.83%), and Zn+2 (43.68%) as compared to plants only spiked with Cd. On the contrary, the foliar-applied 450 ppm ZnO-NPs increased plant height (8.22%), total chlorophyll content (73.59%), ascorbic acid (21.39%), and DPPH activity (17.61%) and yield parameters; cob diameter (19.45%), and kernels numbers 6.35% enhanced compared to plants that were spiked only with Cd. The findings of the current study pave the way for safer and more cost-effective crop production in Cd-stressed soils by using green synthesized NPs and provide deep insights into the underlying mechanisms of NPs treatment at the molecular level to provide compelling evidence for the use of NPs in improving plant growth and yield.

Maize production at phenological stages affected by water irrigation stress in dryland conditions

Abstract The growth and yield of maize are significantly influenced by the adequacy of soil moisture during the growth period. Given the uncertain rainfall due to climate change, the availability of water for maize production is becoming increasingly limited, while the demand is rising due to population growth. The extent to which maize yield is affected by soil moisture stress at each phenological stage in dryland areas has not been thoroughly explored. This study aimed to determine the production and biomass of maize at various growth stages due to water stress. Watering using drip irrigation equipped with soil moisture sensors was stopped after the maize plants reached 20, 40, 60 (flowering), 80 days after sowing (DAS), and at harvest. Parameters of biomass, maize yield, and other parameters were determined when the soil’s permanent wilting point reached, and soil samples were taken to determine the moisture content. The results showed that irrigation up to 80 DAS was not significantly different in yield, although it was 30% lower than that irrigation up to harvest. However, irrigation up to 60 DAS reduced the yield by 3.9 times and 4.9 times compared to the yield at irrigation up to 80 DAS (85.897 grams/plant) and at harvest (108.57 grams/plant), respectively. Other parameters, such as dry biomass, cob weight, cob length, and cob diameter followed the yield trend, although their values varied. The dry biomass of maize at irrigation until 20 and 40 DAS were 13.68 grams/plant and 40.05 grams/plant, respectively. The experiment implies that irrigation water should be provided until 80 DAS to minimize significant yield losses of maize in dryland conditions.

PHENOTYPE CHARACTERISTICS OF CROSSING PURPLE CORN AND SWEET YELLOW CORN (ZEA MAYS L.) IN GENERATION F4

Phenotypic characters in crossed plants is very important to find out the success of a cross and the differences in characters between one type and another. The purpose of this study was to identify and determine the best phenotypic characters resulting from crosses of maize plants in the F4 generation. This research was carried out on agricultural land in Oloboju Village (Bulu Pontu Jaya SP2), at an altitude of 176 meters above sea level, with a latitude of 1ᵒ00'21" South Latitude and 119ᵒ56'50.49" North Latitude. Sigi Biromaru District, Sigi Regency. The study started from February to July 2020. This study was structured using a randomized block design with five maize cultivars from F3 crosses as treatments, namely: purple corn cultivar, dominant yellow: purple, white dominant purple, purple dominant white, and purple dominant yellow which was repeated five times to obtain 25 experimental plots. The observed variables were: plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, age at which male flowers were released, age at which female flowers were released, age at harvest, cob length, cob diameter, number of cob seeds, percentage of color, and weight of 100 seeds. The research data were analyzed using ovarian analysis, which was followed by the HSD test at the 1% level. The results showed that purple corn cultivars had the best phenotypic characteristics, namely, plant height reached 226.55 cm, cob diameter reached 40.95 mm, cob length reached 15.05 cm, color percentage reached 70.39%, number of cob seeds reached 411 .70 seeds and has a slightly fluffier texture and a slightly less sweet taste until it is quite sweet.

Improvement of Maize Growth and Production through a Combination of Leaf Defoliation and SP-36 Dosage in a Close Cropping System

The high demand for Maize encourages various agricultural innovations. The study aims to examine the effect of defoliation and P fertilizer application on the growth and production of the Madura 3 Maize variety which is grown in the close cropping system. This study used a randomized block design consisting of two factors with three replications. The parameters observed were stem diameter, root weight, cob fresh weight, cob dry weight, dry seed weight, and 100 seed weight. The results showed that there was a significant interaction between the defoliation factor and the dose of SP-36 on cob diameter, where the highest diameter (4,75 cm) was found in the combination of non-defoliation and SP-36 150 kg.ha-1. Overall, the non-defoliation of an SP-36 of 250 kg.ha-1 showed the best result on Maize growth and production. The addition of the dose of SP-36 also needs to pay attention to the needs of plants.

Pupuk Organik Cair D’nip dan Npk Terhadap Pertumbuhan dan Hasil Tanaman Jagung Manis

Corn is a cereal plant and a type of monocotyledonous seed. In Indonesia, corn is used for livestock feed, as well as a base for various food and beverage industries, including flour and oil. Corn production in West Kalimantan is significantly lower, at 58.14%, compared to other regions. The maximum corn demand for consumption and livestock feed is 322,621 tons. West Kalimantan produced 14,460,601 tons in 2023.This research used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) factorial pattern, with 2 factors: the first factor being the application of Liquid Organic Fertilizer (POC) D’NIP with code (d) in 3 treatment levels, and the second factor being the application of NPK Mutiara Professional with code (n) in 3 treatment levels. Each treatment was repeated 3 times.The doses of Liquid Organic Fertilizer (POC) D'NIP were 0 ml/1 liter of water (without POC D’NIP), 30 ml/1 liter of water, and 40 ml/1 liter of water. Meanwhile, the doses of NPK Mutiara Professional fertilizer were 2.43 grams/polybag, 7.43 grams/polybag, and 12.43 grams/polybag. This resulted in a total of nine (9) treatment combinations: d0n1, d0n2, d0n3, d1n1, d1n2, d1n3, d2n1, d2n2, d2n3, each treatment repeated 3 times with 3 plant samples in each replication.The highest results for the cob length variable (22.22 cm) were found in treatment (d1n3), plant height (215.66 cm) in treatment (d2n1), number of leaves (12.67 leaves) in treatments (d1n1 & d2n1), cob diameter without husk (53.45 cm) in treatment (d2n3), and weight of cob without husk (311.56 grams) in treatment (d2n3)

Dampak Pemberian Green manure Dan Pupuk Phonska Terhadap Perkembangan Dan Hasil Tanaman Jagung Manis (Zea mays Saccarata L.)

This study aims to evaluate how green manure applied with Chromolaena odorata and Gliricidia sepium leaves, along with NPK compound fertilizer (phonska), affects the growth and yield of sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata L.). Conducted in Telaga Kodok, Central Maluku, from September to November 2022, the experiment utilized factorial design with varying doses of green manure (0, 10, and 20 tons per hectare) and phonska fertilizer (0%, 50%, and 100% of the recommended dose). Observed parameters included plant height, leaf count, leaf area, leaf area index, cob length, cob weight with husk, cob weight without husk, and cob diameter. The results of the ANOVA analysis indicate that both factors and their interaction significantly influence sweet corn's growth and yield parameters. It is recommended to apply 20 tons of green manure per hectare and 100% phonska dose to achieve optimal results, considering parameters such as plant height, leaf count, leaf area, cob length, cob weight with and without husk, and cob diameter. By enhancing sweet corn productivity, supporting food security, and promoting sustainable agricultural sector growth, this research significantly contributes to optimizing the use of organic and inorganic fertilizers.

Effect of Paitan Compost Fertilizer and Corn Rooting Rhizobakteri on the Growth and Yield of Glutinous Corn (Zea mays L. ceratina)

Glutinous rice corn crops in Java show low productivity despite their potential. Agricultural land issues in Indonesia, such as soil fertility and excessive use of inorganic fertilizers, persist. Tithonia diversifolia plants are utilized for composting to address these concerns. Additionally, corn root microorganisms act as biological fertilizer, enhancing plant growth. This study aims to investigate the interaction between Tithonia compost dosage and corn root Rhizobacteria on glutinous corn growth and yield. Conducted in two locations—laboratory for Rhizobacteria isolates and field for composting and planting—the research employed a Divided Plot Design with 36 treatment combinations. Observations included plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, cob count, cob diameter, cob weight, and cob length. Results indicate interaction effects between Rhizobacteria and compost dosage on leaf area growth at 28 days post-planting. Additionally, there's an impact on stem blight intensity at 42 days post-planting. Rhizobacteria dosage didn't significantly affect plant growth or cob yield parameters. However, paitan compost dosage influenced plant height, stem diameter, and cob count, with the best response seen at 14 tons/ha dosage.

Profiling the selected hotspots for ear traits in two maize-teosinte populations.

Eight selected hotspots related to ear traits were identified from two maize-teosinte populations. Throughout the history of maize cultivation, ear-related traits have been selected. However, little is known about the specific genes involved in shaping these traits from their origins in the wild progenitor, teosinte, to the characteristics observed in modern maize. In this study, five ear traits (kernel row number [KRN], ear length [EL], kernel number per row [KNR], cob diameter [CD], and ear diameter [ED]) were investigated, and eight quantitative trait loci (QTL) hotspots were identified in two maize-teosinte populations. Notably, our findings revealed a significant enrichment of genes showing a selection signature and expressed in the ear in qbdCD1.1, qbdCD5.1, qbpCD2.1, qbdED1.1, qbpEL1.1, qbpEL5.1, qbdKNR1.1, and qbdKNR10.1, suggesting that these eight QTL are selected hotspots involved in shaping the maize ear. By combining the results of the QTL analysis with data from previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving two natural panels, we identified eight candidate selected genes related to KRN, KNR, CD, and ED. Among these, considering their expression pattern and sequence variation, Zm00001d025111, encoding a WD40/YVTN protein, was proposed as a positive regulator of KNR. This study presents a framework for understanding the genomic distribution of selected loci crucial in determining ear-related traits.

Weed control and productivity of maize (<i>Zea mays </i>l.) interseeded with Jointvetch (<i>Aeschynomene histrix</i> Poir.) at different sowing arrangements

The use of forage legume with cereals offers a potential for increasing food and forage production. Field study was conducted during the rainy seasons of 2015 and 2016 to determine the effect of interseeding Jointvetch (Aeschynomene histrix) at different sowing arrangements on weed control, growth and yield of maize. The treatments were one hoe weeding at 3 weeks after sowing (WAS) followed by (fb) one row of Jointvetch drilled by the side of the ridge at 3 WAS, one hoe weeding at 3 WAS fb two rows of Jointvetch drilled by the sides of the ridge at 3 WAS, one hoe weeding at 3 WAS fb one row of Jointvetch drilled within the furrow at 3 WAS, one hoe weeding at 3 WAS fb two rows of Jointvetch drilled within the furrow at 3 WAS, one hoe weeding at 3 WAS fb Jointvetch broadcast within the plot at 3 WAS, two hoe weeding at 3 and 6 WAS and a weedy check arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated three times. Data collected on weed dry weight, plant height, cob length, cob diameter and grain yield were subjected analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P ≤ 0.05. Weed dry weight, plant height, cob length, cob diameter and grain yield were significantly (p≤0.05) influenced by Jointvetch arrangement. The magnitude of weed suppression was lowest in the plot with Jointvetch broadcast, which also produced taller plants, longer cobs, wider cobs and highest grain yield compared to the weedy check. Grain yield in plots interseeded with Jointvetch and two hoe weeding at (3 and 6 WAS) were comparable and higher than that in the weedy check. Our findings demonstrated that one hoe weeding at 3 WAS fb Jointvetch broadcast can reduce weed growth and increase grain yield of maize.

Yield Test of Shade-Tolerant Maize Using the Intercropping Method of Maize-Soybean Under Coconut Trees

Maize is a light-dependent crop, but new varieties have been developed that can tolerate shade. This allows farmers to grow maize as an intercrop between coconut trees, making more efficient use of their land. Farmers can also intercrop with legume plants, which provide additional nitrogen through Rhizobium bacteria, leading to increased maize productivity. The aim of this study was to obtain the best intercropping pattern for maize and soybeans under coconut trees that results high yields in maize. The study was conducted in Padang Pariaman Regency of West Sumatra, at an altitude of approximately 150 meters, from February to July 2022. The experimental design was a Split Plot Design with Randomized Block Design, consisting of three main plot levels (planting time) and four subplot levels (planting model). The results of the study indicate that intercropping maize and soybeans under coconut trees has no effect on the weight of maize cobs, but there is a positive correlation between ear weight, cob length, cob diameter, number of rows per cob, and the weight of 1000 maize seeds.

The Effect Of Concentration Of Rice Washing Water Poc And Potato Skin On Growth And Production Of Sweet Corn (Zea Mays Saccharata Sturt)

The research was conducted in the experimental field of the Faculty of Agriculture, Ekasakti University, Padang. October to December 2021. The research of giving is to get the best POC concentration of rice washing water and potato skins for the growth and yield of sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata Sturt). The experimental design used was a Randomized Block Design (RAK) with 5 treatments of 5 groups so that in total there were 25 experimental units, each experimental unit contained 4 plants so that the number of plants in the study was 100 plants. Treatment of POC concentration of rice washing water and potato skins as follows: A = 20% POC; B = 30% POC; C = 40% POC; D = 50% POC; E = 60% POC. Observational data obtained were analyzed statistically using variance. The results showed that the administration of POC rice washing water and potato peels had no significant effect on plant height, leaf length and longest leaf width, flowering age, cob length, cob diameter, number of rows on the cob, cob weight per plant, but significantly different on age. harvest. The best concentration of POC in rice washing water and potato peel on the growth and yield of sweet corn has not been found. Keywords: POC, sweet corn, growth, yield

Properties of Rooting, Growth and Yield of Corn (Zea mays L) at Various Watering Intervals

Limited water availability, particularly during the grain filling period, is a significant factor that affects the low production of corn. The root system plays a crucial role in adapting to water scarcity conditions. Hence, a study was conducted to investigate the impact of different watering intervals on the rooting properties, growth, and yield of corn plants. This research took place at the INSTIPER Yogyakarta experimental and research garden in Sempu Village, Wedomartani, Ngemplak District, Regency Sleman, Yogyakarta, from March 2023 to July 2023. The experimental design employed was a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with a single factor, consisting of three watering treatments: once a day, once every 2 days, and once every 7 days. The parameters observed included rooting, growth, and yield. The findings revealed that the watering interval of every 7 days resulted in increased root length and a decrease in the number of leaves. Although the 7-day watering interval led to a decrease in the number of cobs, it did not affect cob length, cob diameter, cob weight with husks, cob weight without husks, and weight per 100 seeds.

PENGARUH PELAPISAN BENIH (SEED COATING) DAN CEKAMAN KEKERINGAN TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN DAN HASIL TANAMAN JAGUNG (Zea mays L.)

Part of the dry land in Madura developed from parent material, namely sand sediments which have a low organic matter content. This study aimed to determine differences in the effectiveness of corn seed coating materials from bentonite, biochar, lignite, and biochar compost on the growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) under drought stress conditions. This study was conducted at the Integrated Laboratory and screen house of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jember, using a completely randomized design. The treatments tested in this study comprised two factors. The first factor was the treatment of coating materials, namely C0 = without coating (control), C1 = bentonite coating, C2 = biochar coating, C3 = lignite coal coating, and C4 = biochar compost coating. The second factor is the level of drought stress, namely K0 = control (100% KL moisture), K1 = Light stress (80% KL moisture), K2 = moderate stress (60% KL moisture), and K3 = severe stress (40% KL moisture). The results showed that the combination of seed coating agent treatment and drought stress had a significant effect on the parameters of plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, age of male and female flowers, cob length, cob diameter without husks, biomass dry weight, and production potential per hectare. The coal coating material and light drought stress 80% KL (C3K1) was the best combination of seed coating and drought stress treatment.

Direct Selection Parameter Estimates and Path Coefficient Analysis for Grain Yield and Quantitative Traits in Maize (Zea mays L.)

The study was carried out at the Maize Research Institute “Zemun Polje”, Belgrade, Serbia during 2021 growing season in three location. Six inbred lines were crossed according to complete diallel method. In this way 15 hybrids and 15 reciprocal combinations were obtained. Hybrid and reciprocal combinations derived from these parental components were used in this paper. The present study was carried out to study the variability, broad-sense heritability (H2 bs), genetic advance (GA), correlation among traits, genotypic and phenotypic path analysis among grain yield and its components. The results indicated that the genotypes were significantly different for all traits. For all traits, the phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation. The highest heritability was found in 1000 kernel weight, followed by grain yield, ear diameter and anthesis-silking interval (ASI). In our study Genetic Advance over Mean (GAM) for the traits ranged from lowest value (9.739%) for cob diameter to the highest value (90.579%) for anthesis-silking interval. According to results of path analysis, the trait 1000 kernel weight with the value of 0.365 has the strongest direct positive effect on grain yield. Positive direct effects on grain yield were also observed for ear length (0.202), ear diameter (0.248) and number of rows per ear (0.076), while negative direct effects were observed for cob diameter (-0.057). The trait 1000 kernel weight had the highest indirect positive effects on grain yield via ear diameter (0.232). The cob diameter had highest negative indirect effect on grain yield via ear diameter (-0.048). Coefficient of multiple determinations (R2) had a value of 0.428. This indicated the important role of additive gene effect in the inheritance of these traits and could be improved through simple selection.

Impact of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) infestation on maize growth characteristics and yield loss.

The fall armyworm [FAW; Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E Smith, 1797)] is an invasive and polyphagous insect that infests cereal crops, causing economic losses, and may be led to pose a threat to future the global maize crop in the future. Field trials were conducted to study the negative impacts of S. frugiperda on vegetative growth measurements, yield, and the components of the maize cultivar (Single-Hybrid 168 Yellow) in Luxor Governorate, Egypt. S. frugiperda larvae infestation to maize plants was observed in the 3rd week of June and so continued till the harvest in both 2021 and 2022 seasons. S. frugiperda had three peaks of the seasonal activity/season in the untreated (pesticide-free, control) and in the treated main plots by pesticides. Maize vegetative growth attributes (averages of plant height, stem diameter, and the number of green leaves per plant) displayed higher rates of the treated maize plants by insecticides against S. frugiperda. Maize grain, straw, and biological yield (kg/ha) were decreased in the untreated maize plants (insecticides free) than in the treated by insecticides. Concerning maize yield components, the treated plants were to outperform in the average length of a plant stem (cm), stem diameter (cm), and weight of cob (g), as well as, number of rows/cob, number of grains/ cob, number of grains/cob, maize cob grain weight (g) and weight of 1000-grains (g)], in comparison with the untreated plants. Also, the FAW infestation to untreated maize plants was decreased well in all calculated maize growth attributes, i.e., grain yield, and components. Regarding the relationship between variations in a given variable and the changes in S. frugiperda larvae numbers and plant damage percentage, the simple correlation and regression coefficient revealed a highly significant negative relationship in all the parameters tested. The obtained information may help farmers and decision-makers in the management of FAW populations based on an effective plan related to control measures that should be implemented.

FALL ARMYWORM INFESTATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SWEET CORN VARIETIES

The study was conducted from November 2021 to April 2022 in the field and laboratory of Department of Entomology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh to compare the morphological, developmental, yield contributing characteristics and leaf infestation status by fall armyworm of four different maize varieties viz. BU Misti Vutta 1, BARI Hybrid Vutta 1, Mohona and Dola. Among the varieties, Dola was the tallest plant having height of 156.9±6.1 cm with the highest internode length (16.0±0.2 cm), and the highest number of internodes (12.8±0.2), number of leaves per plant (11.9±0.3), leaf length (82.0±2.7 cm), and leaf width (10.5±0.2 cm). The maximum base diameter (1.9±0.1 cm) was observed in BU Misti Vutta 1. The lowest duration for seedling emergence was observed in BARI Hybrid Vutta 1 (17.6±0.3 DAS) while the lowest durations for tassel initiation (75.2±0.4 DAS), silk emergence (87.1±0.4 DAS) and earliest harvesting maturity (111.9±0.3 DAS) was observed in BU Misti Vutta 1. There was no leaf infestation (0.0±0.0%) in BU Misti Vutta 1 at 100 DAS. The highest cob length (16.4±0.5 cm), cob diameter (4.0±0.1 cm), cob weight (196.6±22.1 g), number of kernel/ cob (537.2±32.1) and yield (12.6±0.1 t/ha) were also recorded in BU Misti Vutta 1.

Response differences of two maize hybrid varieties to the application of bioagent-ameliorant and chicken manure in fertile soil

To ensure adequate nutrition for the growth of maize (Zea mays L.) in sustainable agriculture, it is necessary to apply bio-agent soil conditioner and manure. This study aims to determine the effect of doses of bioagent-ameliorant and chicken manure on growth and yield components. The research was conducted in highland with an altitude 800 m above sea level. This study used an experimental method with two sets of experiments, namely experiments using one and two-cobs maize cultivars. The experiment used a randomized block design (RBD) with two treatment factors and three replications. The first treatment factor was the dose of bioagent ameliorant, which consisted of 3 levels, namely 0, 7.5, and 15 kg/ha, while the second factor was the dose of chicken manure, which consisted of 3 levels, namely 0.5 and 10 tons/ha. The observed growth components were plant height and number of leaves, while the yield components observed were cob length, cob diameter, cob weight per plant, and cob weight per plot. In research on two-cob maize experiment, there was no interaction effect between doses of soil conditioner and chicken manure, while the interaction effect on plant height occurred in one-cob maize experiment. The single effect of ameliorant doses could not increase all components of growth and yield, both in one and two-cob maize cultivars. The single effect of doses of chicken manure increased number of leaves, cob length, cob weight per plant, and cob weight per plot in one-cob maize cultivar, while increased plant height in two-cob maize cultivar.