EFFECT OF PLANTING METHODS AND NITROGEN LEVELS ON THE SEED PRODUCTION OF FODDER MAIZE
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Date
2013
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
A field study on “Effect of planting methods and nitrogen levels on the seed production of fodder maize” was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, during 2012. Three planting methods viz. zero tillage, conventional tillage and bed planting methods and four nitrogen levels viz. 0, 100, 125 and 150 kg N/ha were evaluated in strip plot design with three replications keeping planting methods in vertical strips and four nitrogen levels in horizontal strips. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam, normal in respect to pH and EC, organic carbon and medium in available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The results revealed that grain yield showed non-significant effect with different planting methods. This was due to same plant height, leaves per plant, dry matter accumulation, leaf area, leaf area index and also same yield attributing characters such as number of cobs per plant, cob length, cob girth, number of grains per plant and 1000- grain weight. Application of 150 kg N/ha produced highest yield of 63.3 q/ha which was 16.3, 28.4 and 66.8 per cent higher than grain yield recorded with 125, 100 and 0 kg N/ha respectively. The grain yield increased significantly up to 150 kg N/ha, due to higher number of cobs per plant, cob length, cob girth, number of grains per cob and 1000- grain weight. The grain yield was maximum under bed planted crop (57.9 q/ha) when 100 kg N/ha was applied and it was at par with 125 but significantly higher than 150 kg N/ha. Maize sown with conventional and zero tillage method gave the higher grain yield (70.4 and 69.5 q/ha) with the application of 150 kg N/ha, which was significantly superior to the 125, 100 and 0 kg N/ha. However in case of stover yield, bed planted method recorded highest yield at 150 kg N/ha, which was at par with 125, 100 kg N/ha, conventional tillage at 125 and 150 kg N/ha and also zero tillage method at 125 and 150 kg N/ha. This showed that planting fodder maize with zero tillage can produced more yield by skipping the tillage operation at the time of planting.
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