Effect of Time of The First Irrigation and Seeding Rates on Maize Yield and Yield Components

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

THIS FIELD experiment was carried out through the successive growth season's summer 2014 and 2015 at Sids Agricultural Research Station to study the effect of the first irrigation (17, 21 and 25 days after planting) and different rates of maize grains (26250, 39375, 52500 and 78750 grains per *faddan on maize yield productivity and component for Yellow single-cross 176. The studies treatments were disturbed among the experimental plots in split plot design with four replicates. The obtained results cleared that, all studied characters of grain yield was highly significant for the time of first water irrigation, while the number of plants per fad was not significant. The first irrigation after 17 days from sowing gave the highest value of grain yield at both tested years (31.8 and 28.6 #ardab/fad), while the irrigation at 21 days had moderate values of grain yield (27.7 and 28.0 ardab/fad) at 2014 and 2015, respectively. Also, the first seeding rates (one kernel per hill) had the lowest number of plants per fad at both seasons (21219 and 21171 plants/fad), while the second treatment (one and two kernels per hill, alternately, without thinning) gave the highest number of plants per fad at both years (26218 and 26208 plants). On the other hand, the first irrigation after 17 days from planting had the significant highest values of grain yield per plant at both seasons (177.9 and 171.8 gm). As well as, the first irrigation at 17 days had the significant highest values of ear diameter at 2014 (4.62 cm) compared to 4.50 cm when the first irrigation is running at 25 days. The first irrigation after 25 days from planting had the lowest number of days to mid-silking at 2014 season (57 days), while irrigation after 21 days had 58.7 days. The shortest plants were observed when the first irrigation running at 25 days (231.9 cm). Results showed that application of irrigation water after 17 days from planting, number 2 grains per hill and 52500 grains per fad had a positive effect on yield and yield component in both seasons. Significant and positive correlation coefficients were observed for grain yield with each of the number of plants and ears per fad at both years (0.53** and 0.45**, respectively). Seeding rates and grain yield with each of the number of plants and ears per fad (0.35**, 0.49**; 0.43**, 0.54**, respectively), significant and negative correlation values for grain yield per plant and each of first irrigation time and the number of plants at both seasons (-0.35**, -0.70**, -0.34* and -0.83**, respectively). Significant negative correlation coefficients was observed for number of days to mid-silking with the first irrigation at 2014 season (-0.34*) high significant correlation for plant height, at 2014 season, with time of first irrigation (-0.52**), grain yield (0.36**), number of plants per fad (0.41**), and number of ears per fad (0.46**).

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