DOI: https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/24.4.3869
Short communication
Soil weight determination for optimal growth and yield performances of pot-grown maize
2023, 24 (4) p. 855-861
Folake ANJORIN, Ridwan ABIOLA, Julius OLASOJI, Daniel O OLANIRAN OLANIRAN
Abstract
Root restriction, reduced growth and poor yield due to an insufficient quantity of soil are the major limitations of pot-grown maize (Zea mays L.). Hence, to determine the actual quantity of soil required for optimal growth and yield performances of pot-grown maize, two maize varieties; BR9943 DMR-SR (yellow) and BR9928 DMR-SR (white), were evaluated in pots of 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 kg of topsoil in a 2 x 4 factorial (r = 4) using complete randomised design at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan, Nigeria. Data were collected on plant height (PHT), leaf area (LA), cob length (CBT), number of kernels per row (K/R), number of rows per cob (R/C), number of kernels per cob (K/C) and total grain weight (TGW). The results obtained showed that all the evaluated parameters were significantly different at P < 0.05 across the soil weights. Maize planted in 30 kg of soil had the highest LA (774.25 cm2), R/C (15.25), K/C (405.62) and TGW (73.84 g), compared with maize planted in 5 kg and 10 kg soils. Plant height and CBT were highest when 40 kg of soil was used. The maize varieties BR9928 DMR-SR (yellow) and BR9943 DMR-SR (white) were not significantly different across the growth and yield parameters except for LA, where the yellow maize (651.91 cm2) had a substantially higher LA than the white maize variety (588.19 cm2). Based on the results of this study, 30 kg of topsoil is recommended for optimum growth and yield performances of pot-grown maize.
Keywords
leaf area, maize, number of rows per cob, plant height
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