Paper Details

Maize hybrids under diverse drought and soil moisture conservation techniques in field condition

Ashiq Saleem, Muhammad Ansar, Muhammad Azim Malik, Muhammad Kausar Nawaz, Shahzada Sohail, Ijaz Ahmad, Rashid Saleem, Ihsan ullah, Habib Iqbal Javed

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/6.8.149-156

Int. J. Biosci. 6(8), 149-156. April, 2015. (PDF)

Abstract:

Experiment was carried out at National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad, Pakistan to evaluate water conservation techniques against early and late terminal water stress at vegetative as well as reproductive stage of maize. The experiment was planted in RCBD with three replications. Moisture conservation techniques were: (WCT1, WCT2, WCT3, and WCT4 along with three water stress treatments (WS1, WS2, and WS3. The results revealed that (WCT3) plots produced higher grain yield (3575 kg ha-1), ear-1 weight (124.2 gm), cobs plant-1 (0.8) and 100 grain weight (27.78 gm). It was also noticed thatWS3 (2541 kg ha-1) proved more detrimental than the (WS2) (2803 kg ha-1). Maximum plant heights were (158.6) and (167 cm), respectively at WS1 and WCT1. The highest increase (315.5%) in the net income was recorded in WS1WCT1. WS3WCT2, WS2WCT4 and WS3WCT4 gave lower net income respectively as compared to the check and the % reduction in the net income was comparatively higher in WS3WCT4. Based on the net increase in income (%) compared with the check and per unit return over every monetary unit spent, WS2WCT3 can be recommended for higher hectare-1 net income. It is concluded that WCT3 proved the best in terms of grain yield (3575 kg ha-1) while water stress at reproductive stage needs to be avoided due to being comparatively more detrimental to the yield voice versa to rainfall and temperature, as precipitation becomes low from February to June and the temperature rises from growing till maturity stage of maize in Pakistan.