Effect of Spacing on Grain and Stover Yield of Maize (ZEA Mays L) in Makurdi Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the College of Agronomy Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Agriculture Makurdi during the rainy season (July – November) of 2015 to evaluate the response of three plant densities /53, 333, 66,666 and 106,666 plants /ha) on four varieties of maize (ZEA Mays L) for grain and Stover yield in Makurdi, Benue State in the Southern guinea savanna ecology of Nigeria.  The maize varieties (IWDC₃, SAMMAZ 11, 2009 TZEE –ORI and LOCAL) were evaluated under three different spacing of 25cm, 40cm and 50cm x 75cm.  parameters observed were shoot fresh and dry weight, days to 50% flowering, plant height, ear height, ear weight/plants, Stover yield, biological yield/plant, cob length, cob circumference, number of kernel rows/cob, number of kernels/row, number of kernels/cob, grain yield/plant, 100 seed weight, harvest index and grain yield.  The study revealed that plant height, days to 50% anthesis, shoot fresh and dry weight, ear weight/plant, Stover yield, biological yield/plant, cob length, cob circumference, grain yield/plant, 100 seed weight, harvest index and grain yield were significantly influenced by spacing at P<0.05.  The result of Stover yield (t/ha) indicated that the highest value of 2.45 t/ha was realized from 25cm (plant density of 106,666 stands/ha) while the value of 1.47 t/ha was observed for 50cm (plant density of 53,333 stands/ha).  In respect to grain yield (t/ha), highest value of 3.53 t/ha was obtained from 40cm (plant density of 66,666 stands /ha) and the least value of 2.96 t/ha was realized in 50cm.  This implies that maximum grain and Stover yield were obtained from a closer spacing of about 66,666 – 106666 stands/ha is suitable for the production of high yield grain and Stover of maize during the rainy season in the southern guinea of Nigeria.