Abstract

                                A field experiment was conducted at the Department of Agronomy, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to standardise the age of seedlings and to evaluate the yield potentials of transplanted crop with direct seeded ones in maize during kharil 86 and rabi 86-87. Five and ten day old seedlings raised from conventional soil nursery were compared with direct seeding. The grain yield increase with 5-day old seadlings was by 8 q/ha (14.7 per cent) and 6 q/ha (11.5 per cent) during kharif and rabi respec- tively over the direct seeded crops. There was deep decline in grain yield when 10-day old seedlings were transplanted. The highest net return of Rs. 6610 and Rs. 5503 was realised with 5-day old seedlings against Rs. 5339 and Rs. 4566 under direct seedling respectively during kharif and rabi seasons. The return per rupee invested was Rs. 2.67 and 2.39 with 5-day old seedlings as compared to 2.36 and 2.16 with direct seeding respectively for both the seasons. The method of raising nursery is also furnished.

Key words : Maize, Age of seedling, Growth, Yield