Spatial and Temporal Arrangement of Hybrid Maize for Assesment of Phenology and Agrometeorological Indices

A field trial was conducted during the Kharif season of 2020 to assess the effect of spatial and temporal crop geometry on the phenology, yield and agro meteorological indices of hybrid maize at the Agronomy Research Farm, FoA Wadura, Sopore, SKUAST-Kashmir. The experiment was carried out in split- split plot design with dates of sowing (17th SMW; D1), 19th SMW; D2 and 21st SMW; D3) as main plot treatments; varied row spacing (50 cm × 20 cm; S1, 60 cm× 20 cm; S2 and 70 cm ×20 cm; S3) as sub- plot treatments and two maize hybrids (Hytech- 5801;H1 and YSH- 1; H2) as sub- sub plot treatments. Results indicated that hybrid Hyteh- 5801 sown on 17th SMW observed highest grain yield and biological yield and took greater days to reach different phenological stages, thereby piled higher heat units, PTUs, HTUs, HyTUs, PTI followed by 19th SMW and 21st SMW. The plant spacing of 70 cm ×20 cm took maximum days for reaching different phenophases and accumulated maximum heat units, PTUs, HTUs, HyTUs, PTI. Thermal use efficiencies were maximum ((HTUE, PTUE, HyTUE and HUE)) when the maize hybrid Hytech-5801was sown on 17th SMW. The biological yield based thermal efficiencies showed the highest response with row-spacing of 50 cm × 20 cm whereas grain yield based thermal efficiencies were maximum under 70 cm×20 cm plant spacing.