Growth and Development of Quality Protein Maize (QPM) Genotypes As Influenced by Irrigation and Plant Population in a Sudan Savanna Ecology, Nigeria

An experiment was carried out to assess the growth and development of quality protein maize (QPM) genotypes to various plant populations under different irrigated conditions in a semi arid ecology of Northern Nigeria. Field trials were conducted at the Irrigation Research Station, Institute for Agricultural Research, Kadawa (11º39’ N, 08º20’ E) and 500 m above sea level) for three years, 2007, 2008 and 2009 during dry seasons to study the effect of three maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes (TZE-W Pop X 1368, EV-DT W99 STR and DMR-ESRW), four plant populations (33,333, 44,444, 55,555 and 66,666 plants ha-1) and three irrigation scheduling regimes (40, 60 and 80 centibars soil moisture tension) on the growth and development of QPM. This was a three trial experiment with factors arranged in a split plot design, whereby genotype and irrigation scheduling were assigned to the main plot in a factorial style and plant population density assigned to the sub-plots. Factors involved were replicated three times. The treatments were replicated three times. The study revealed that genotype EV-DT W99 STR had significantly higher number of leaves, taller plants and shorter days to attain 50% tasselling and silking. Irrigating at 80 centibars resulted in significantly shorter days to 50% taselling, but significantly longer days to attain 50% silking. Increase in plant population significantly decreased the number of days to attain 50% tasseling. Based on the results found in this study, it could be concluded that genotype EV-DT W99 STR, at 80 centibars irrigation scheduling regime and 55,555 plants ha-1 had resulted in good growth and development of QPM under irrigation in a semi arid environment.