Grain yield and other yield components indrought resistant maize (Zea mays l.) as affected by variety and intra row spacing at Bagauda Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Bagauda the Teaching and Research Farm of Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil , Kano – Nigeria during the 2010 wet season to determine the influence of plant intra-row spacing on the growth, yield and dry matter accumulation of local and
improved drought resistant maize varieties. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications consisting eight (8) treatments per replicate. The result obtained showed that maize growth and yield was significantly affected by the different varieties used (except in ear weight, cob weight, cob diameter and number of grains per cob) but the intra-row spacing did not have any significant effect on the parameters evaluated. Improved varieties outperformed the local variety of maize. Within the improved varieties, sammaz 18 performed significantly better in terms of yield, number of ears per plot, number of plants bearing two cobs, mean leaf area, fresh and dry leaf weights. This was followed by the local variety H.H in terms of these growth parameters and dry matter accumulation.