ASHISH PAL, BALWINDER SINGH DHILLON* AND ANIL KHOKHAR
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo-151 302 (Punjab), India
Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, Ballowal Saunkhri, SBS Nagar- 144 521 (Punjab), India
*(e-mail : dhillonbalwinder@pau.edu)
(Received : 17 December 2021; Accepted : 12 March 2022)
SUMMARY
The field experiment entitled “Performance of fodder maize (Zea mays L.) to different sowing methods and seed rates” was conducted at the Research Farm of University College of Agriculture, Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda (Punjab) to study the effect of different sowing methods and seed rates on growth and fodder yield of maize. The trial was laid out in split plot design with three sowing methods (broadcasting, pora and kera) in main plots and three seed rates (20, 30 and 40 kg/ha) in sub plots, replicated four times. Among different methods of sowing, broadcasting was found to be most effective in maize for achieving higher fodder yield. Broadcasting method recorded higher plant height and dry matter accumulation, whereas, kera method resulted in the higher number of leaves/plant and leaf area index of maize. Broadcasting sowing method (412.8 q/ha) recorded the highest fodder yield, which were significantly higher than pora (382.1 q/ha) and kera (371.2 q/ha) methods of sowing. Fodder yield of pora method was statistically at par with kera method. Broadcasting method recorded 8.03 and 11.2% higher fodder yield than pora and kera, respectively, methods of sowing. Maximum fodder yield was obtained with 40 kg/ha seed rate (401.6 q/ha) which was significantly higher than 20 (376.2 q/ha) and 30 kg/ha (388.3 q/ha) seed rates.
Key words: Fodder yield, leaf area index, maize, seed rate, sowing methods