Plant density and thinning regime effect on maize (Zea mays) grain and fodder yield

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) plant density is an important management practice for successful grain and forage production. The objective of this study was to determine the most suitable maize seeding and time of thinning maize as fodder in grain maize crops. Previously the focus in this area has been on grain and silage production, and consequently information on the production of fodder in grain maize crops is limited. This study therefore aims to investigate the growth of high density maize for fodder production through thinning and subsequent grain yield. A plant density experiment in randomised complete block design was carried out at Egerton University, Njoro, using a Kenyan hybrid (H511) where 4 densities (44 444, 88 888, 177 777 and 355 555 plants/ha) and 4 thinning regimes (V4, V6, V10 and VT phenological stages) were used. The densities vary through number of seed per hill (i.e. 1, 2, 4 and 8 seeds/hill, not row or plant spacing) and spacing of 30 cm between the hills within the row and 75 cm between the rows was used. Maize plants were thinned following the appropriate thinning regime to leave 1 plant per hill, giving a plant density of 44 444 plants/ha in all treatments after thinning. Their biomass was then determined. The single plants per hill left, as a normal farmers practice, were used to determine grain yield at harvest. Plant density of 355 552 plants/ha, with a treatment structure of 4 seeds/hill and thinned at the VT phenological stage gave the highest thinning biomass per hectare, while 44 444 plants/ha, with a treatment structure of 1 seed/hill and no thinning, gave the highest grain yield. The thinning regime of the V10 phenological stage and 2 seeds/hill thinned at the VT phenological stage gave appreciable amount of fodder and grain yields. This study has shown that with particular seeding densities and thinning regimes, production of both fodder and grain is possible.

Yield and Nutritional Quality of Sweet Lupine (Lupinus angustifolius) Grown in Midaltitudes of Lemo District, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia

“…e present result agrees with the result observed by [13]. e early maturing varieties such as Sanabor have an advantage over the late maturing ones in environments where rain begins late and ends early [14]. 4 International Journal of Agronomy physiological change could be due to massive root development and efficient nutrient uptake allowing the plant to continue the increase in height.…”

Caracterización de productores de maíz de temporal en Tierra Blanca, Veracruz

“…La densidad de siembra en el maíz ejerce alta influencia sobre el rendimiento de grano y las características agronómicas, pues el rendimiento de grano se incrementa con la densidad de población hasta llegar a un punto máximo y disminuye cuando la densidad se incrementa más allá de este punto. Sangoi (2000), indica que la densidad de población es uno de los factores que frecuentemente modifica el productor para incrementar el rendimiento de grano, sin embargo si se utilizan densidades de población mayor que la óptima se incrementa la competencia por luz, agua y nutrimentos, ocasionando reducción en el volumen radical, número de mazorcas, cantidad y la calidad del grano por planta e incrementa la frecuencia de pudriciones de raíz y tallo lo que propicia acame densidades de población bajas provocan problemas con maleza o de desperdicio de suelo (Maya y Ramírez, 2002;Njoka et al, 2005).…”

Effects of intercropping and fertilizer application on the yield and nutritive value of maize and amaranth forages in Nigeria

“…Whole‐plant maize has been used extensively to make silage in both temperate and tropical regions because of its high yield and high concentration of water‐soluble carbohydrates (Phipps, 1996; Njoka et al. , 2005).…”