Performance of two exotic white maize hybrids as influenced by varying soil moisture regimes during seedling transplantation

White maize cob (Captured at Agronomy farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University on 18 April, 2018)

PERFORMANCE OF TWO EXOTIC WHITE MAIZE HYBRIDS AS INFLUENCED BY VARYING SOIL MOISTURE REGIMES DURING SEEDLING TRANSPLANTATION

Md. Jafar Ullah, Md. Mahirul Islam, Kaniz Fatima, Md. Sohel Mahmud and M.A.Mannan

Abstract

The trial was initiated on Nov 01 of 2017 in randomized complete block design with three replications. Six treatments combining two varieties (PSC-121= V1 and Yangnuo-3000=V2), three moisture regimes (field capacity at sowing of the sown treatment = FC, wetting surface up to saturation of the soil at transplanting = WT and flooding at transplantation = FL) and two methods of planting (sown and transplanting). As such the six treatment combinations were V1FC, V2FC, V1WT, V2WT, V1FL and V2FL. Results showed that Transplanting had no remarkable effect on plant height (205-225 cm) and number of leaves per plant (14-16). However significant effect was seen on stem circumference at the base was affected showing reduced value in the v1WT (5.60 cm), distance of cob position from the base showing the farthest with V2FC (102 cm) and the nearest (73 cm.) with v1WT. Cob bearing node from the base was also affected showing cobs at the nearest (7.33) with v1WT while, farthest with V2FC (9.5). Treatments also showed wide ranges of cob length (15.00-17.78 cm), cob circumference (13.83-16.87), number of grain rows per cob (12.00-13.33) and number of grains per grain rows (27.89-36.33). In the individual ear a wider range in number of grain (360-482), grain weight (82.06-121.07 g), shell (rachis) weight (11.00-29.00 g) and chaff (husk) weight (6.4-13.78 g) was also observed. There was also wider ranges in per plant ear weight (99.50-162 g), stover dry weight (81.50-139.52 g) and total dry weight (194-296 g). Treatments significantly affected 100 seed weight (20.67-32.67 g), seed yield (6.565-10.048 t/ha) and harvest index (36.32-49.96%). The highest seed yield was observed with the treatment v1FC which was attributed to the heaviest seed of this treatment (32.67 g) and number of grains per ear (483). V2 FL had second highest seed yield (8.374 t/ha) showing 20% reduced seed yield due to transplantation. V1 out yielded V2 showing 10% higher yields which was attributed to bolder seeds of V1 and 12% higher harvest index than V2. V1 had 16% heavier grain weight per cob compared to V2. However, this variety had also over 200 and 80% heavier shell and chaffs respectively compared to that of V2. Likewise FC had 20 and 7% higher seed yields as compared to those of WT and FL. Transplanting remarkably reduced 100 seed weight (30%) which was attributed to the reduced seed yields due to seedling transplanting.

Key words: White maize, seedling transplantation, soil moisture.

Find the article here