Impact of Plant Density, Fertilizer Rate and Weed Control on Grain Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.).
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Date
2017-01-01
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Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University of Oye-Ekiti
Abstract
Field experiments were established to evaluate the effects of fertilizer (NPK) rates, contrasting plant
densities and weed control on weed infestation and yields of maize in the Southern Guinea savannah
of Nigeria. The first trial (trial I) was laid as a split-split-plot in three replications using three maize
varieties (LNTP-Y, BR9928DMRSR-Y and PVA8-Y), three plant densities: 53,333 plants ha-1
(a row on a ridge with 1 plant/stand at 75x25cm), 106,666 plants ha-1 (a row on a ridge with
two plants/stand at 75x25cm) and 106,666 plants ha-1
(2 rows on a ridge with plant/stand at
75x25cm) and three NPK 20:10:10 rates (100:50:50, 150:75:75 and 200:100:100). Two best
interactions between plant density and fertilizer rate were selected from trial I and laid as
main plots in a split-plot design where six weed control methods were the sub-plots in trial II.
The results showed that high fertilizer dose and low densely populated maize increased weed seedling
population and biomass production. Maize plant density significantly influenced grain yield of maize,
seeding at 106,000 plants/ha (2seeds/hill at single row/ridge) with application of NPK at 150:75:75
gave 6.33 tonnes/ha of BR 9928DRM SRY, 6.67 tonnes/ha of LNTP-Y C2 and 6.47 tonnes/ha of
PVA8. Pre-application of Primextra Gold(R) at 2.5kg ai/ha and post-application of
Guardforce(R) at 1.25kg ai/ha gave significantly higher grain yield, 4.89 tonnes/ha. It can be
concluded in this study that seeding maize at two seeds per hill (106,666 plants/ha) with the
applications of NPK fertilizer at 150:75:75, pre-Primextra Gold(R) at 2.5kg ai/ha and post Guardforce(R) at 1.25kg ai/ha will lead to 100% increase in maize grain yield
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Keywords
Double Density, Fertilizer Rate, Primextra, Maize Yield