Response of Maize Yield to Varying Plant Densities in Paired Row Configuration under Different Irrigation Methods

Abstract

The study on the response of maize yield to varying plant densities in paired row configuration under drip irrigation is of critical significance for efficient crop production. As global agricultural systems face the dual challenges of increasing food demand and decreasing resource availability particularly water and arable land this research offers timely and practical solutions. This field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station during the Kharif and Rabi seasons of 2014–15 to evaluate the effect of increasing plant population on the productivity of maize under a paired row system, using both drip and conventional methods of irrigation. The experiment was laid out in a split-split plot design with three replications. The treatments consisted of two main plots: (i) Drip irrigation and (ii) Conventional irrigation. The sub-plots included two maize hybrids: P3501 and DHM117. The sub-sub plots comprised six planting densities 100:50×10cm (1,33,333 plants per ha), 100:50×15cm (88,890 plants per ha),100:50×20cm (66,668 plants per ha), 90:60×10cm (1,33,333 plants per ha), 90:60×15cm (88,890 plants per ha), and 90:60×20cm (66,668 plants per ha). Overall, the results indicated that among the plant density treatments, the maize yield was significantly higher in both paired row configurations of 100:50×15cm (8597 kg ha-1) and 90:60×15cm (8781 kg ha-1), with a plant population of 88,890 plants per hectare.