An Assessment of the Effect of Sowing Methods and Spacing on Growth and Yield Attributes of Maize (Zea mays L.)

The present investigation was undertaken during the Kharif season of 2025 at the Agricultural Research Farm of Doon School of Modern Agriculture and Forestry, DBS Global University, Dehradun, to evaluate the impact of different sowing methods and plant spacing on the growth, yield attributes and productivity of maize (Zea mays L.).

The study employed a randomized block design (RBD) with three replications, comprising two sowing methods-flat drilling and ridge sowing and three spacing treatments: 70 × 15 cm, 70 × 20 cm and 70 × 25 cm. The maize hybrid VL Maize 57 was used for the experiment.

The results demonstrated that both sowing method and spacing significantly influenced physiological and agronomic performance. Ridge sowing produced taller plants, higher leaf area index (LAI), greater dry matter accumulation and superior yield attributes compared to flat sowing. Among the spacing treatments, 70 × 25 cm exhibited better performance in terms of plant height, LAI, dry weight, cob length (13.67 cm), number of kernels cob^-1 (304.31) and test weight (19.87 g), culminating in the highest kernel yield (44.87 q ha^-1) and stover yield (59.14 q ha^-1). On a relative basis, kernel yield at 70 × 25 cm and under ridge sowing was about 6.2 and 3.2% higher, respectively, than at 70 × 15 cm and under flat drilling, while the harvest index remained within a narrow range of about 42-43% across all treatments. The study highlights the importance of optimizing plant geometry and sowing techniques to enhance resource-use efficiency and maximize yield potential. These findings offer actionable insights for maize cultivation strategies under mid-Himalayan agro-climatic conditions.