Development and productivity of maize in response to spatial arrangement under semiarid condition of Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

This study evaluates the development and productivity of maize plants at different spatial arrangements under rainfed conditions in cerrado-caatinga (savannah) transition zone, where characterised as semiarid. The experimental plan was Randomised Blocks Design (RBD) with four replications. This was 3×3 factorial design with three types of row spacing (0.35 m, 0.50 m, 0.75 m) and three types of population density (50,000, 65,000 plants.ha-1, 80,000 plants.ha-1). The hybrid 30F53YH recommended for the region was used in this experiment. We collected the morphological parameters of five plants in each subplot for six weeks after thinning. Then, productivity data were obtained by weighing harvested grain from two representative lines of each subplot. Furthermore, all data were analysed by performing both statistical tests Tukey (p≤0.05) and Shapiro-Wilk. The best response of maize canopy architecture and productivity was in smaller spacing (0.35 m) with high population density (80,000 plants.ha-1). However, the total productivity index was high in recommended row spacing and population (0.70m and 50,000 plants.ha-1). Thus, smaller row spacing with a higher population (e.g. 80,000 plants.ha-1) can deliver better plant distribution density as a solution for production losses due to drought during maize growth stages.