Effect of Planting Basin Depth on the Growth and Performance of Maize (Zea mays)
Journal Title: Scientia Agriculturae - Year 2016, Vol 13, Issue 1
Abstract
There is low adoption rate of basin tillage in Zimbabwe due to many factors but the incorrect planting basin depth is among the major factors. The blanket recommendations on the basin depth dimensions, have led to poor crop stand and consequently food insecurity. A research was carried out in Marondera, at Horticulture Research Centre Zimbabwe to determine the effects of planting basin depths on plant height, stem girth and above ground yield of maize. The research aimed at helping farmers to have clear information on the planting basin depth to adopt so as to have a good crop stand and performance in order to get higher yields and increase food security. A one factorial experiment was carried out in complete randomised block design (CRBD) using planting depth as a factor and different planting depths of 6cm, 12cm, 18cm and 24cm, as the factor levels. The treatments were replicated four times. The results showed that there was significance difference (P<0.05) in both plant height, stem girth and above ground matter yield due to planting basin depth from week 4 to week 12 after emergency. Planting basin depth of 24cm had the tallest plants, largest girth and highest above ground matter compared to a shallower depth of 6cm, which had the least performance. Farmers are therefore recommended to adopt a planting basin depth of 24cm and if not, they should not prepare their planting basin depth shallower than the recommended 12cm, but where labour is available; a deeper basin (deeper than 12cm) should be used for improved yield.
Authors and Affiliations
Parwada Cosmas, Karavina Charles, Kamota Agathar, Mandumbu Ronald , Marova Rich
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP106750
- DOI 10.15192/PSCP.SA.2016.13.1.3036
- Views 187
- Downloads 0
Indigenous knowledge on diversity and conservation of two cocoyam genera (colocasia and xanthosoma) in uganda
Cocoyam (Xanthosoma spp and Colocasia spp) is an important nutritious tuber crop in Uganda, however, it has received limited attention worldwide in terms of research and development and this threatens cocoyam diver...
The potentials and utilization of Seaweeds
The importance of seaweeds cuts across various environmental, ecologic, socio-economic benefits and services as food for man, in the phycocolloids and expanding phycosupplement industries, as sink for excess carbon...
Spray mass flux application variables of tree sprayers
Laboratory and field investigations were conducted to study the effect of spray application parameter such as volume liquid flow rate, volume air flow rate, cross sectional area of spray jet and sprayer-tree distan...
Variation induction in wheat via gamma-rays and hybridization and gains from selection in derived heterogeneous populations for drought tolerance
Selection from established high yielding pure line wheat cultivars would rarely isolate a new genotype. Inducing new genetic variation in bread wheat populations via gamma ray irradiation and hybridization procedur...
Effects of Salinity on Performance, Heritability, Selection Gain and Correlations in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Doubled Haploids
Populations of doubled haploids (DH) derived from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crosses include sufficient amount of new genetic variation. Information on heritability and expected selection gain from such DH popula...