Influence of sowing date on grain maize (Zea mays L.) production at Metu: Illubabor region
1996
Tilahun Tadious | Tesfa Bogale | Welelie Melese (IAR, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia))
The trial was carried out between 1988 and 1991 main growing seasons "Kiremt" of maize. Eight sowing dates arranged at seven-day intervals, from 1 April to 26 May were evaluated using two full-season varieties of maize (UCB and Metu local) in a split-plot design with four replication to determine optimum date of sowing for maize production in Illubabor region. There were no significant differences between varieties. Sowing dates on the other hand, had significant yield differences in all the test-seasons. In not one of the growing seasons, however, significant variety x sowing date interaction was observed, but year x sowing date interaction was significant, indicating the presence of bad and good seasons. In the good season (1989) sowing in early April resulted in over 90 q/ha grain yield, however, in bad season (1991) the same period resulted in grain yield of 50 q/ha due mainly to occurrences of higher percentages of lodging (74 percent) and rotten cobs (37 percent). The relationship between total rainfall at seedling stage and yield was negative, but not significant while sowing dates and GDD (accumulated heat unit in degree centigrade) showed negative and highly significant relationship. Effects of rainfall and temperature on late sown maize were investigated.
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