Effect of planting methods and moisture conservation practices on growth, yield and quality of rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) in Shivalik region of Punjab
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Date
2023
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Punjab Agricultural University
Abstract
The present study entitled *Effect of planting methods and moisture conservation practices on growth, yield and quality of rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) in Shivalik region of Punjab'' was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University-Regional Research Station Ballowal Saunkhri and AICRPDA-NICRA project on farm experiment site at Village Achalpur, Block Garhshanker, District Hoshiarpur, during kharif 2020. The field experiment was conducted in split plot design with four planting methods viz. flat planting, ridge planting, bed planting and conservation furrow planting) as main plot and three moisture conservation practices viz. no interculture, locally available vegetative material (munja, nara, vetiver, babbar grass and sugarcane) straw mulch @6t ha' and earthing up as sub plot treatments using PMH- 1 variety of maize. The 12 treatment combinations were replicated thrice resulting in total 36 experimental plots. Among various planting methods, bed planting and ridge planting gave significantly higher grain yield at Ballowal Saunkhri (33.8 qha and 30.7 qha', respectively) and at Achalpur (40.3 qha' and 37.5, respectively) which a respective increase of 20.7 per cent and 12.7 per cent at Ballowal Saunkhri and31.3 per cent and 26.1 per cent at Achalpur over flat sowing. Moisture conservation practices also influenced maize grain yield significantly, with earthing up resulting in significantly higher grain yield of 33.5 qha' at Ballowal Saunkhri and 37.8 q ha' Achalpur with respective increase of 27.5 per cent and 24.1 per cent over no interculture. Among quality parameters, planting methods as well as moisture conservation practices have no significant effect on protein content in maize grain. Sugar and starch content were significantly affected under earthing up and straw mulch @6t ha' and with bed planting. Bed planting gave highest net returns of Rs. 31657 ha' at Ballowal Saunkhri and Rs. 44670 ha at Achalpur with respective B: C ratio of 1.84 and 2.16 followed by ridge planting system which gave net returns of Rs 27094 and Rs 41137 at Ballowal Saunkhri and Achalpur with respective B: C ratio of 1.75 and 2.11. Among moisture conservation practices, earthing up gave Rs 10475 and Rs 10101 per hectare higher net returns than no interculture at Ballowal Saunkhri and Achalpur, respectively. In conclusion, bed planting or ridge planting and earthing up at knee high stage proved beneficial in the increasing productivity and improving the quality of rainfed maize in Shivalik region of Punjab.
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Mandeep Kaur (2023). Effect of planting methods and moisture conservation practices on growth, yield and quality of rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) in Shivalik region of Punjab (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.