PERFORMANCE OF MAIZE VARIETIES UNDER IRRIGATED CONDITIONS OF DERA ISMAIL KHAN

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of seven maize varieties with a local standard check at the Agronomic Research Area, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan, during spring 2011. Maize varieties tested were Islamabad Gold, Kisan, Sadaf, Sarhad White, Sahiwal-2002, Islamabad White, Agaiti-2002 and local check Azam. The results revealed that local check Azam was earlier in days to 50% pollen shedding and silking (60.33 and 62.66 days) than other varieties including Sadaf and Islamabad White. Highest plant height was measured in Sahiwal-2002 (198.3cm) and lowest in Islamabad White (163.33cm) whereas highest ear height was found in Sadaf (101cm) and lowest (75cm) in Agaiti-2002. Non-significant differences were noted for number of ears per hectare. Islamabad White had maximum (31.23%) moisture contents in grain at harvest as compare to Islamabad Gold (26.16%). Maximum grain yield (5943 kg ha-1) was recorded in Sahiwal-2002 while Sarhad White produced maximum biological yield (23380 kg ha-1). Variety Sahiwal-2002 showed the highest percentage of harvest index (32.37%).