14. Growth and yield of Maize hybrids as effected by different sowing Dates in Swat Pakistan
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Abstract
To evaluate the response of maize hybrids to different sowing Dates, an experiment was conducted during kharif season, at farmer field school, Sambat cham, Matta, Swat, during summer 2012. The experiment was carried out in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement having four replications. Sowing date (June 1st, 15th, 30th) was allotted to main plots, while maize hybrids (PIONEER-30K08, CS 200 and MALKA-TS-1105) were sown in sub plots. A subplot size of 3.5m x 4.0m was used. Each subplot was consisted of six rows having 75 cm row-to-row distance with row length of 3 m. Sowing either on 1st or 15th June gave at par grains ear-1 (560 and 563), grain yield (7820 and 9010 kg ha-1) and biological yield (25055 & 23240 kg ha-1) respectively. Sowing on 15th June gave higher plant height (232 cm). Delayed sowing on 30th June decreased grains ear-1 to 460, grain yield to 6060 kg ha-1, biological yield to 15972 kg ha-1 and plant height to 185 cm. There was no effect of sowing dates on ear m-2 and thousand grains weight. Among the maize hybrids, PIONEER-30K08 had the optimum number of ears m-2 (7), grain yield (8343 kg ha-1) and biological yield (22129 kg ha-1) while Malka-TS-1105 showed the lowest grain yield of 7119 kg ha-1 and biological yield of 20231 kg ha-1. The hybrids did not differ from each other in plant height. On the basis of the above results, among the tested hybrids PIONEER-30K08 is recommended for sowing on either June 1st or 15th June undr the agro-ecological conditions of Swat valley.
Keywords: Maize (Zea mays L.); Sowing Dates; Hybrids; Farmer field school (FFS)