Optimizing Plant Spacing, Sowing Methods and Population Density for Improved Maize (Zea mays) Yield and Yield Components
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67135/wnj.2026.2811Abstract
The effects of sowing methods and intra-row spacing on grain yield and some agronomic characters of maize were investigated at the Demonstration Farm, Sudan University of Science and Technology, College of Agricultural Studies, Shambat, Khartoum North, Sudan, during season of 2019/20 and 2020/21, to study the effects of three sowing methods and five intra-row spacings on some agronomic characters of plants including; plant height, stem diameter, leaf area index, number of rows/ear, number of kernels/ row, number of kernels per Ear, 1000-kernels weight and grain yield. Hudeiba II cultivar was used. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design in split plot arrangement with three replications. Main plots were sowing methods (drilling, ridging and terrace). Subplots were intra-row spacing (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 cm), plant densities were 100000, 66667, 50000, 40000 and 33333 plants ha-1 respectively. Significant effects of interactions of sowing methods and intra-row spacing were observed at plant height and stem diameter. The effects of sowing methods were highly significant for number of kernels per row, while significant difference was observed for leaf area index, and number of rows per ear. Intra-row spacing was highly significant for all parameters under investigation. The highest grain yields (3.53 and 3.20 ton ha-1.) were obtained from two ways: interaction of sowing method terrace (SM3)× 20 cm spacing and interaction of Sowing method drilling× 20 cm spacing respectively, while the lowest grain yield (2.07 and 2.0 ton ha-1) were obtained from interaction of SM3× 10 cm and SM3× 30 cm, respectively.
Keywords :Maize, intra-row spacing, Hudeiba II, grain yield, leaf area index
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