Section 3 (Crop Management)

Maize in Bangladesh
BMS9902 showed the shortest (Table 4). Grains/cob was not significantly influenced by the different
variety. The hybrid variety CMS933072 and Pacific 11 showed similar seed weight, and the lowest was
from BMS9902. Significantly highest plant height was recorded from variety CMS933072. Pacific 11
revealed higher grain yield but statistically at par to CMS933072, but BARI hybrid maize-1 showed
lower grain yield at par to BMS9902. The results from on-station showed that Pacific-11 or hybrid line
CMS933072 could be grown at Rangpur region for higher yield.
Fertilizer dose for hybrid maize as sole crop
An experiment was conducted at ARS, Rangpur, to find out the responses of hybrid maize to
NPKSZnB with variety Pacific 11. The grain yield was highest when fertilizers were applied at the rate of
250 kg N, 120 kg P205 120 kg K20 40 kg S, 5 kg Zn, and 2 kg B/ha), which showed optimum production
of hybrid maize with a yield target of 10.55-10.77t/ha in Non-Calcarious Dark Grey flood plain soil of
Tista Meander Flood plain (AEZ 3) soils (Table 5).
Performance of maize cultivation for fodder and grain purposes
The experiment was conducted at farmers’ fields of MLT site, Sunamganj, Sylhet during rabi season
of 1999- 2001 to know the potential grain maize (var. Barnali) for grain and fodder purposes. Fertilizer
doses were 120-80-60-20 N-P205-K20-S kg/ha. The treatments were maize as T1 = grain, T2 = Maize as
fodder, T3 = Maize as grain + fodder (thinned 2 plants/hill at 60 DAE, and T4=T3 + removal of lower
leaves (beneath the cob) at silking stage. From the results it was observed that thinning as 2 plant/hill at
60 DAE (T3) produced reasonable fodder yields without sacrificing yield of maize (Table 7). The same
treatment gave the highest gross margin and BCR (Table 8).
Intercropping
Intercropping maize with soybean
This experiment was conducted at ARS, Rangpur during 1999-2000. There were four treatments
comprised of two planting systems and four fertilizer levels (T1 = Maize normal row+2 rows of soybean
with 250-120-120-40-5-1-10 kg, T2 =Maize normal row + 2 rows of soybean with 200-80-80-20-5-1-10
kg, T3 =Maize paired row + 4 rows of soybean with 250-120-120-40-5-1-10 kg and T4 =Maize paired row
+ 4 rows of soybean with 200-80-80-20-5-1-10 kg N-P205-K20-S-Zn-B- Mg/ha, respectively). Seeds were
sown on 14 December, 1999. Maize in normal row was planted at 75 x 25 cm spacing and paired row
system was 37.5 cm/150 cm/37.5 cm. Soybean was planted 2 or 4 rows between maize rows at 30 cm row
spacing. The hybrid maize (var. Pacific II) and soybean (var. Sohag) were used.
The seed and grain yield of soybean and maize and their bio-mass have been presented in Table 9. It
is evident from the table that either the seed, grain, or bio-mass yield was not significantly influenced by
different treatments. The fertilizer doses or planting arrangements also failed to influence the seed and
grain yield of soybean and maize. However, it was observed that with the increase of fertilizer doses the
seed or grain yield increased but the increase was not significant. Maximum seed yield (0.79 t/ha) was
recorded with soybean in T3 (Maize paired row + 4 rows of soybean with 250-120-120-40-5-1-10 kg N-
P205-K20-S-Zn-B Mg/ha). Highest grain yield (8.51 t/ha) of maize was recorded with T1 (Maize normal
row + 2 rows of soybean with 250-120-120-40-5-1-10 kg N-P205-K20-S-Zn-B-Mg/ha). Maize equivalent
yield was also not influenced by the treatments significantly but was higher from treatment T1.
The cost-benefit analysis of intercropping soybean with maize is presented in Table 10. It is evident
from the table the highest gross return was recorded from treatment T1 and was closely followed by T2.
Highest gross margin and B:C ratio was recorded with T2 and was followed by T1. It is revealed that
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