EFFECTS OF INTER-AND INTRA-ROW SPACINGS ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.) IN LAY-ARMACHIHO DISTRICT, WESTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Maize is greatly affected by variation in plant population than other grass families and highly responsive for plant and row spacings, thus the modification of those factors can bring about significant yield variation on maize crop. Based on this perspective, a field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of inter-and intra-row spacings on yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays L.) in Lay Armachiho District of Central Gondar Zone, Amhara National Regional State during 2018 main cropping season. The experiment was arranged in a 4 X 3 factorial combinations of four inter-row spacings (80, 70, 60 and 50 cm) and three intra-row spacings (35, 30 and 25 cm) were laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications using maize hybrid maize variety BH-540. Phenological, growth parameter, yield and yield related data were collected. The collected data were subjected to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS statistical software (SAS 9.1.3) and means were separated using least significant difference (LSD) test, for significantly different treatments (at 5 probability level). The results of the study had shown that there were highly significant difference (p 0.01) due to the main effects of both inter- and intra- row spacings on days to 50% tasseling, 50% silking, anthesis-silking interval, 90% maturity, leaf area index, plant height, stand count, number of ears per plant, ear length, ear diameter, number of grain rows per ear, number of grains per ear, hundred-seed weight, harvest index, grain yield and above ground dry biomass. All phenological and growth parameters were significantly increased with decreased inter- and intra-row spacings, while all yield and yield related parameters were significantly increased with increasing inter- and intra-row spacings except those of grain yield and above ground dry biomass. There was highly significant (p 0.01) interaction effect of inter- and intra-row spacings on 100-seed weight, grain yield ha and above ground dry biomass ha -1 . Generally, higher grain yield and above ground dry biomass were obtained from relatively intermediate and narrow spacings. Thus, the spacing combinations of 50 cm X 35 cm was identified as the best combination to be used in the study area for achieving maximum profit of maize hybrid BH-540 during main cropping seasons of 2018. To confirm this, similar investigation suggested to be repeated at multi-locations and in different seasons