Effect of Sowing Methods, Intra-row Spacings’ on Growth, Yield and Yield Components of Three Maize (Zea mays L.) Varieties, at Gash Scheme, Sudan

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted at Kassala Research Station Experimental Farm at Takroof , during two successive winter seasons of 2015 and 2016, to study the effect of three sowing methods namely: ridge, flat and methods practiced by farmers, three Intra-row spacing (20, 30 and 40 cm) between plants and three maize varieties namely Hudeiba-1, Hudeiba-2 and Vari113. The design used was factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) based on splitspilt arrangement with three replications. The sowing methods were assigned as the main plot, intra-row spacing as the subplot and the varieties as the Sub-subplot. The data recorded during both seasons after emergence were population density/plot, at flowering data was recorded for days to 50% tasselling, and days to 50% silking, then at harvest data was recorded for plant height (cm), number of leaves/plant, leaf length (cm), leaf width (cm), leaf area index (LAI), stem diameter, number of ears/plot, number of rows/ear, number of seeds/row, number of seeds/ear, ear length (cm), effective ear length (EEL) (cm), ear width (cm), 100 seed weight (g), grain yield (ton/ha), biological yield, hay yield (ton/ha) and harvest index. The results revealed that ridge method was the best one compared with the other two methods, and scored higher levels of grain yield of, 1.73 and 1.74 ton/ha during both seasons, respectively. Variety113 scored higher rates of grain yield of, 1.68 and 1.77 ton/ha, respectively compared with other varieties. Grain yield was significantly affected by intra-row spacing of 20 cm and scored 1.77 ton/ha, during the first season, while 30 cm intra-row spacing scored higher grain yield of, 1.68 ton/ha during the second season. Accordingly, Variety113, grown on ridge and with intra-row spacing range from 20 to 30 cm between plants gave the highest maize grain yield in Gash Scheme.