Yield and Yield Components of Maize as Affected by Planting Density

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of planting density on growth, development, yield and yield components contributing characteristics of maize during the period of November, 2012 to March 2013 in the Research Field and Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology Department, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh. The experimental area belongs to Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain (AEZ-1) of Bangladesh having sandy loam soil with pH 6.1. The experimental treatments were five plant spacing (S1=75 cm X 25 cm, S2=75 cm X 20 cm, S3=60 cm X 25 cm, S4=65 cm X 20 cm and S5=50 cm X 25 cm) corresponding to 35,000, 50,000, 60,000, 80,000, 95,000 plants ha-1 respectively with one maize variety. The experiment was laid out in a single factor Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. The experiment plots were divided into four blocks each representing a replication. Growth parameters, some phenological parameters such and some yield and yield attributes increased with decreased in plant the plant population. The highest grain yield of 5.65 t/ ha was produced at (S5) high planting density (95,000 plants ha-1) and the lowest grain yield of 4.21 t/ha was produced at (S1) lowest planting density (35,000 plants ha-1).