Yield and Yield Components of Maize as Influenced by Cultivars and Fertilizer Rates

Abstract

A field trial was conducted for two years at the Research Farm of the University of Ado-Ekiti; Ado-Ekiti in the rainforest zone of the South Western Nigeria to determine the influence of cultivars and rates of NPK fertilizer on the yield and yield components of maize. Compound fertilizer (NPK 15-15-15) was applied to maize cultivars DMRESRY-Y, SUWAN-Y and DMRLSR-Y at 0, 250 and 750 kg/ha. Results showed that there were significant variations in the yield components among the maize varieties. Maize ear length was consistently longest in DMRLSR-Y followed by DMRESR-Y and shortest in SUWAN-Y while maize ear circumference of SUWAN-Y was either bigger than or similar to that of DMRLSR-Y. DMRESR-Y however, recorded the smallest value for maize ear circumference. Number of maize grains per ear was highest in DMRLSR-Y and followed by SUWAN-Y and DMRESR-Y while grain size was similar in both DMRLSR-Y and SUWAN-Y but smaller in DMRESR-Y than the other two varieties. Maize grain yield was highest in DMRLSR-Y followed by SUWAN-Y and least in DMRESR-Y. The yield and yield components of the three cultivars of maize increased with the increasing rates of NPK (15-15-15) fertilizer till 500 kg/ha after which no significant yield increase was recorded.

Key words: Maize, cultivar, fertilizer rate, yield, yield components.