Effect of high density planting under paired row arrangement on growth, yield attributes and yield of kharif maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Punjab Agriculture University, Regional Research Station, Gurdaspur, Punjab in kharif season of 2022. The study focus on optimum plant population and arrangement of hybrid maize for higher productivity. The study comprise of twelve treatments in which nine were paired row treatments of varying intra-row and inter-row spacing, the rest three was of same population and conventional spacing having different methods of sowing of 60 x 20 cm. All paired row treatments were sown flat and other conventional spacing was in flat, ridge or flat followed ridge. Significantly, higher yield (73.9 q ha-1) was obtained in case of paired row at closer spacing of 20 cm intra paired row distance and 60 cm of inter paired row distance. The yield was comparable with treatment having inter and intra paired row spacing of 20 cm - 80 cm, 30 cm - 60 cm and 40 cm - 60 cm respectively. The plant population in the range of 90,909 to 1,25,000 provided higher yield, significantly higher than of 83,333 plant population ha-1. Among treatments comprise of similar spacing of 60 x 20 cm or plant population of 83,333 plants ha-1, paired row at narrow spacing yielded significantly higher than the conventional spacing with flat and ridge sown. Paired row at broad spacing was comparable with treatment comprise of flat sown followed by ridge. The yield attributes likes of cob length, cob girth and number of grains per cob is significantly higher in case of paired row at maximum spacing of 40 cm intra and 100 cm of inter row spacing. The recommended spacing for Punjab region is 60 x 20 cm.