Response of different maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes on yield under deficit irrigation in southern region of Bangladesh

This study was conducted at the Research field of Plant Breeding Division, Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Rahmatpur, Barisal, Bangladesh during the period from November, 2016 to April, 2017 to screen out the hybrid maize varieties under moisture deficit condition. There were two factors: (1) five irrigation treatments – I1: Full irrigation at initial,vegetative stage, silking and grain filling stage (20-25 DAS and 50-60 DAS,75-80 DAS and 110-120 DAS), I2: Full irrigation at initial stage (20-25 DAS), I3: 50% irrigation both at initial and vegetative stage (20-25 DAS and 50-60 DAS) and I4: 75% irrigation both at initial and vegetative stage and silking stage (20-25 DAS,50-60 DAS and 75-80 DAS), I5: 50% irrigation at initial,vegetative stage, silking, and grain filling stage (20-25 DAS and 50-60 DAS,75-80 DAS and 110-120 DAS) and (2) five maize varieties, viz. V1: BARI hybrid maize 9 (BHM−9), V2: BARI hybrid maize 5 (BHM−5), V3: BARI hybrid maize 7 (BHM−7), V4: NK40 and V5: Pacific 984. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. There was no significant (α = 0.05) effect of irrigation and significant effect of varietal treatments on the grain yield of maize. The treatment I1 produced the highest grain yield of 11.87 t/ha and I5 (50% irrigation at initial, vegetative, silking and grain filling (20-25 DAS, 50-60 DAS, 75-80 DAS and 110-120 DAS) stages) produced the lowest yield of 11.02 t/ha. The treatment V4 (NK-40) produced the highest grain yield of 15.03 t/ha and V2 (BHM-5) produced the lowest yield of 5.99 t/ha.