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PERFORMANCE OF POPCORN ( Zea mays L.) UNDER DIFFERENT POPULATION DENSITIES IRRIGATION INERVALS AND DATES OF SOWING
Abstract:
Field trials were conducted at the Kadawa Irrigation Research Station (11°39’N, 08°02’E and 500m above sea level) located in the Sudan savanna ecological zone of Nigeria during the 1996/97 and 1997/98 dry seasons to study the performance of popcorn under different population density, irrigation interval and date of sowing. Analysed results showed that population density significantly influenced most growth and yield parameters assessed with higher population of 66,666 plants per hectare having an edge over other densities except days to 50% tasseling and silking, ear length, ear diameter, cob diameter, weight of grain per cob and 1000-grain weight which were significantly higher at lower population density. Irrigating popcorn at 7-day interval significantly increased most of growth and yield characters of popcorn. However, no significant effect was observed due to variation in irrigation interval on grain yield (kg/ha) in both seasons and combined analysis. Intermediate sowing at the end of February resulted in significantly higher growth and yield attributes of the crop. Highly significant and positive correlation (P=0 01) were observed between popcorn grain yield (kg/ha) and total dry matter (TDM) kernel depth, weight of grain per cob, 1000 grain weight and number of ears per plot at (P=0.05) in 1996/97 season. In 1997/98 season however, highly significant and positive correlation (P 0.01) were obseived between grain yield (kg/ha) and plant height at 12 weeks after sowing (WAS), Leaf area index (L.VI), TDM, days to 50% silking, number of ears per plot and weight of grain per cob P=0.05. Direct percentage contribution of most characters were greatest through TDM and ear diameter; while combinations of plant height and TDM cob diameter and ear diameter were the highest contributors to popcorn grain yield.
PERFORMANCE OF POPCORN ( Zea mays L.) UNDER DIFFERENT POPULATION DENSITIES IRRIGATION INERVALS AND DATES OF SOWING
