Print | The Effect of Plant Population and Nitrogen Rates on Yield and Seed Quality of CML-395 x CML-202 Female Basic Seed for Production of BH-661 and BH-546 Hybrid Maize Seed at Bako, Western Ethiopia

Advanced Journal of Seed Science and Technology ISSN: 2812-3425 Vol. 6 (1), pp. 168-175, May, 2020. © Advanced Scholars Journals

Full length Research paper

The Effect of Plant Population and Nitrogen Rates on Yield and Seed Quality of CML-395 x CML-202 Female Basic Seed for Production of BH-661 and BH-546 Hybrid Maize Seed at Bako, Western Ethiopia

¹Belay Taressa, ¹Megersa Dabale, ²Getu Negasa and Zerihun Abebe^3*

¹Bako Agricultural Research Center (BARC),P.O.box 03

²Oromia Seed Enterprise (OSE)-Bale Robe Branch, P.O.box 02

^3*Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD-OSW) hosted by Oromia Seed Enterprise, P.O.box 312

*Corresponding author E-mail:[email protected]

Accepted 19 May, 2020.

Abstract

There is no recent agronomic recommendation of optimum N rates and plant populations for inbred lines were available to produce maize female basic seed. The study was conducted with objective of determining the effect of N rates and plant population on yield of CML-395 x CML-202 female basic seed. The experiment was laid in 3x6 factorial combinations of three levels (88,111 and 137 kgha^-1) and six levels of plant populations (61,538, 71,429, 76,923, 90,909, 83,333 and 66667 plants ha^-1) and replicated three times. 88 kg Nha^-1 and 66,666 plants ha^-1 were used as the standard checks. The highest and significant yield increase was recorded through practice of 83,333 plants ha^-1 with 60cm x 20cm spacing followed by 90,909 plants ha^-1.The highest significant absolute net benefit (ANB) was also obtained under the practice of 83,333 plants ha^-1. Beyond this, the highest ANB was recorded under application of 137 kg Nha^-1. Use of 83,333 plants ha^-1 by practicing 60 cm inter and 20 cm intra row spacing at the seed rate of 20.7 kg ha^-1( 16 kg ha^-1 of CML-395 and 4.7 kg ha^-1 of CML-202) characterized by at least 90% germination capacity is the best recommended cultural practice to enhance productivity and profitability for seed producers. In addition, intensive fertilization (137 kg ha^-1) for commercial investors is preferable to enhance the profitability per unit area whereas use of 111 kg ha^-1 is very much better than the previous recommendation and it is advisable for small scale seed business.

Keywords: Maize, Basic seed, Nitrogen, plant population.