Performance of Different Maize Hybrids in Gird Zone of Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a versatile and high-potential cereal crop widely cultivated for food, feed, and industrial uses, playing a significant role in global and Indian agriculture. However, increasing demand necessitates improvement in productivity, highlighting the importance of evaluating high-performing maize hybrids under specific agro-climatic conditions. A Two years field experiment was conducted at instructional farm of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Baroda, Sheopur during Kharif season of 2020 and 2021. Soil of experimental field was clay loam had pH 7.8, organic carbon 0.72, available N 252.8 kg/ha, available P 27.2 kg/ha and available K 185.6 kg/ha. Three hybrids of maize viz. Bio 9544, MM 1107, and PAC 745 Gold were taken for comparing their performance. Weed control and plant protection measures were applied as per recommendations of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidhyalaya Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh). The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with four replications. N, P, and K were applied as recommendations of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidhyalaya, Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) through Urea, SSP and MOP. Half dose of N and full dose of P and K were applied as basal dose at the time of sowing. Remaining N was applied in two equal splits as topdressing. In experimental plots, it is observed that growth, yield attributing traits and grain yield varied significantly with different hybrids of maize. Maize hybrid PAC 745 Gold attained maximum plant height (182 cm during I year and 182.4 during II year) followed by MM 1107 and Bio 9544 during both the year of study. Maize hybrid PAC 745 Gold showed short duration genotype which attained all phenological stages comparatively early like days to 50% tasseling (51.75 days during I year and 51.11 during II year) and silking (54.75 days during I year and 54.4 days during II year). Highest number of cobs (1.3 during I year and 1.25 during II year) per plant and grain recovery (85.58% during I year and 85.4 during II year) were recorded in maize hybrid PAC 745 Gold, which was at par with MM 1107 and significantly higher over Bio 9544. Maize hybrid PAC 745 Gold yielded highest (7101 kg/ha during I year and 7144 kg/ha during II year), which was significantly higher over Bio 9544 (6978 kg/ha) during I year of study. Correlation studies suggested that shelling percentage showed the highest positive correlation with grain yield followed by number of cobs per plant, cob length, test weight, and cob girth, indicating their major contribution toward yield improvement. Based on above findings, it can be concluded that maize hybrid PAC 745 Gold was found promising for gird zone of Madhya Pradesh with respect to yield and other attributes.