EFFECT OF LEAF CLIPPING ON PRODUCTIVITY UNDER DIFFERENT POPULATION DENSITIES OF HYBRID MAIZE

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during the period from October-2021 to February-2022 in Rabi season, to study the effect of leaf clipping at reproductive stage on productivity under different population densities of hybrid maize. The experiment consisted of two factors, and followed Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Factor A: Population density (4 levels) viz: P 1 = 60 cm × 15 cm (1,10,000 plants ha -1 ), P = 60 cm × 20 cm (83,000 plants ha 1 -1 ), P 3 = 60 cm × 25 cm (66,500 plants ha ) and Factor B: Leaf clipping (4 levels) viz: C -1 ) and P 1 4 2 = 60 cm × 30 cm (55,500 plants ha = Control (no clipping), C = Clipping of uppermost 2 leaves, C 3 = Clipping of uppermost 4 leaves and C = Clipping of uppermost 6 leaves. Experimental result revealed that, in case of different population densities of maize, the cob length (15.64 cm), cob diameter (4.82 cm), number of rows cob 4 (4.82), number of grains cob -1 (385.04), grain weight plant -1 (107.07 g) and 100-grain weight (22.45 g) of maize were observed in P 4 (55,500 plants ha -1 ) treatment. However, the highest grain yield of maize (8.27 t ha -1 ) was observed in P 2 2 -1 (83,000 plants ha ) treatment. Growth and yield of maize were significantly influenced due to the effect of leaf clipping at reproductive stage on maize. The highest cob length (15.02 cm), cob diameter (4.69 cm), number of rows cob -1 (14.33), number of grains cob (352.65), grain weight plant -1 (98.00 g), 100-grain weight (21.97 g) and grain yield (7.44 t ha ) were observed in C 1 (no clipping) treatment. In case of combination, the P combination treatment gave the highest grain yield of maize (8.53 t ha -1 ). Based on the above findings, experimental results revealed that different population densities and leaf clipping on maize at reproductive stage significantly influenced the growth and yield of maize. Therefore, it was suggested that planting 83,000 plants ha -1 along with no leaf clipping (P 2 C ) combination treatment would help to influence plant growth and increase its ability to give better yield production of maize.