Performance and Stability of Grain Maize Genotypes in Peninsular Malaysia

In plant breeding programmes, potential genotypes are usually evaluated in different environments (locations and years) before desirable ones are selected. Genotype x environment (G x E) interaction is associated with the differential performance of materials tested at different locations and in different years, and influences selection and recommendation of cultivars. Highly stable genotypes are desirable. Furthermore, spatial variability on soil properties and crop yield has been one of the major objectives in investigations related to agriculture production. Performance and stability of grain maize (Zeci 112uys L.) genotypes were evaluated at four locations in Peninsular Malaysia vi-.. Padang Rengas (Perak), Rhu Tapai (Terengganu), Sungai Udang (Melaka) and UPM, Serdang (Selangor), in two years. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the performance of 14 grain maize genotypes for grain yield and yield components at the four locations in two years, (2) to evaluate the G x E interaction effects, (3) to identify high yielding genotypes at each location and their stability by using different stability parameters, (4) to evaluate the spatial variability of soil N, P and K, plant N, P and K, and their influence on grain yield, and (5) to investigate the relationship among grain yield and soil and plant nutrient variables. The experiments at the locations were arranged 'in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. Recommended agronomic practices were used at each location. Evaluations were conducted from June 2000 to March 2002. Genotype and G x E interaction effects were highly significant, indicating high variability among genotypes, and genotypes responded differently to the changing environments. Among the 14 genotypes evaluated, GxA, Selected GxA, SC-2, Putra 1-58 and TWC-4 revealed high performance and have good potential to be used as source populations for future breeding programmes. Comparing performance of genotypes for grain yield and yield components, Selected GxA was found to have the highest grain yield (5726 kg ha-'), shelling percentage (84.9 %), 100-grain weight (25.5 g) and ear weight per plant (149.5 g), earliest in flowering (50.6 days to tasseling, and 53.2 days to silking) and longest ears (15.5 cm): TWC-2 was found to be earliest to mature. SC-3 revealed the shortest plants, while Suwan 1 was the tallest and was late in maturity. The highest ear diameter was observed on SC-1.- Terengganu in 2000 was found to be the most favourable environment, as shown by its highest environmental index. Different methods of stability analyses were used, which include comparison of mean values, regression coefficient (b,), deviation from regression (s2d), coefficient of determination (R*), environmental variance (s2), Wricke7s ecovalence (W,), Shukla's stability variance (a2;) and genotype grouping involving coefficients of variation (CV). ; I C ~ ' ~ ~ Different methods were consistent with each other in revealing t&-&?$(i& u~~ genotypes. Selected GxA was identified as having the highest grain yield and most stable in performance, followed by DC-1, while SC-2 was the lowest yielding and most unstable genotype. Some genotypes revealed specific adaptability to specific locations, such as GxA in Perak, Putra 3-58 in Terengginu and Selected GxA in Melaka and Selangor. This experiment led to the identification and possible release of a new, high yielding and stable grain maize synthetic variety, Selected GxA. Broad-sense heritability estimates on the genotypes were moderate for grain yield in the year 2001 evaluation and years combined, and also for ear length, ear diameter and number of kernel rows per ear in each year and years combined. These indicate that genetic factors had moderate effects on the control of grain yield, ear length, ear diameter and number of kernel rows per ear in the population of genotypes. In addition to the evaluation on genetic stability, spatial variability for grain yield and leaf and 'soil chemical properties were also evaluated at the four locations, where, different patterns of spatial variability for grain yield, and leaf and soil chemical properties were observed in the fields at all locations. The analysis also revealed that percent variability in grain yield variation was associated with soil N, P and K and leaf P contents. Grain yield was particularly positively correlated with soil P and K contents. The results also indicate the effectiveness of site-specific soil management such as reduced fertilizer applications to increase grain yield through minimizing yield variation in grain maize fields. In addition, soil and plant N, P and K analyses provided some information on genotype x environment interaction effect

Evaluation of Fertilizer Management on Different Maize Varieties in Southern Shan State

The study was carried out with two objectives (1) to observe the highest fertilizer response on growth performance of grain maize varieties and (2) to determine the effect of fertilizer management practices in response on yield and yield components. The field experiment was conducted at Aung Ban Research Station under Department of Agricultural Research by using split plots design with three repli-cations. Five maize varieties were used as tested varieties under four levels of fertilizer management practices. Sustainable and Affortable Poultary for All (SAPA) fertilizer application practice gave the highest grain yields, yield components and agronomic parameters than the others. It may be probably due to higher fertilizer application rate together with micronutrients especially more potassium applica-tion with S, Ca and Mg than other practices. Among the varieties, NK 621 variety gave the maximum yield, yield components such as number of kernels per row, thousand seeds weight and agronomic char-acters such as SPAD value, ear weight and ear diameters. “In combination effect of SAPA fertilizer and SA 282 variety gave the maximum yield but the yield of SA 282 was not significantly different with NK 621. Therefore, these two varieties were found as the best performing in grain yield and good potential for the future in Southern Shan State

Effects of Different Nitrogen Fertilizer Levels and Spacing on Phyllochron, Yield and Yield Components of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) under System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

The experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of different nitrogen levels and spacing on phyllochron until flag leaf and to determine interaction effects of different nitrogen fertilizer levels and spacing on the phyllochron, yield and yield components of rice under the system of rice intensifica-tion (SRI). Four levels of nitrogen fertilizer rate (0, 45, 85 and 125 kg N ha-1) and three spacing (15 × 15, 20 × 20 and 25 × 25 cm) were laid out in 4 × 3 factorial in randomized complete block design with three replications in both dry and wet seasons. Higher number of leaves hill-1 was observed in dry season as compared to those in wet season. Different mean values of phyllochrons were resulted from different levels of N applied and spacing in both seasons. In general, phyllochrons were shorter as in-creased of N applied. The wider spacing resulted the shorter phyllochrons. The highest nitrogen fertiliz-er rate N3 (125 kg N ha-1) and the widest spacing of S3 (25 × 25 cm) gave the higher yield, yield compo-nents and agronomic parameters than the others. But, the maximum leaf area index (LAI), leaf dry weight (LDW), total dry matter (TDM) and crop growth rate (CGR) were produced by S1 (15 × 15 cm) in both seasons. The combination effect of nitrogen fertilizer and spacing showed that the maximum yield was obtained from N3S3 (125 kg N ha-1 + (25 × 25 cm)) in both seasons. Therefore, the fertilizer rate 125 kg N ha-1 with spacing 25 × 25 cm should be used for rice to attain high grain yield under SRI

Determinants for Labor Migration in Maubin Townshi

This study was carried out to examine agricultural labor migration in Maubin Township, Ayeyarwaddy delta region in December 2015. Sample size was 60 migrant farm households from two sample villages by using the purposive sampling procedure through household survey and field observation. Descriptive analysis revealed that International non-seasonal migration (9%) to abroad and internal seasonal migration (91%) to urban areas were found. Currently, both types of migrants worked in the non -agricultural sectors of the migrated destination. The push factors of rural out-migration were mostly associated with low agricultural productivity and declining job opportunities in agriculture as well as low employment opportunities in original residential areas. The pull factors were out-migrating to other places which had better economic or employment opportunities, high income and better living standard. The secondary income of migrant farm households was remittance income (30% of total household income) which was mainly used for their basic needs (30%) and agriculture (24%). The study area faced the labor shortage problem in their farming especially during agricultural peak season because of migration

Assessing Elite Capture in “Engaging Women and Men Farmers in Participatory Research and Extension” Project: A Case Study in Magway Township

The study was carried out to assess the existence of elite capture in the Australian Centre for Inter-national Agricultural Research (ACIAR) projected villages. The survey was conducted in three projected villages (Pho Lay Lone, Nat Kan and Aung Myay Kone), Magway Township in June 2017. The data on household livelihoods were collected from 40 households (20 projected households selected by the ACIAR project with predetermined criteria and 20 non-projected households selected randomly) from each of three projected villages to assess their original human, natural, financial, social and physical cap-itals. It was found that almost all of the natural, social and physical capitals of the projected households were higher than those of the non-projected households in Pho Lay Lone and Nat Kan villages. In com-parison the status of human and financial capitals of the projected households was superior to those of the non-projected households in Nat Kan village. It indicated that the project have chosen the households whose livelihood were better than those of the remaining households in Pho Lay Lone and Nat Kan vil-lages. Therefore, elite seemed to capture the project in Pho Lay Lone and Nat Kan villages. In Aung Myay Kone village, most livelihood assets under human, natural, financial, social and physical capitals were not significantly different between the projected and non-projected households. Therefore, elite capture could not be observed in the selection of project households in Aung Myay Kone village. It indi-cated that smallholders had little chance to get the benefits of the project in Pho Lay Lone and Nat Kan villages while the benefit of the project could cover the whole community in Aung Myay Kone village. Therefore, it can be suggested that there should be a proper analysis on the livelihoods of farm house-holds in the target areas before choosing the projected participants to prevent the elite capture

Performance of Different Varieties in Direct Seeded Rice (Oryza sativa L.) as Affected by Different Sowing Methods

Field experiments were conducted in DaikU and Maubin Townships from November, 2015 to April, 2016 with two objectives: (1) to compare the different sowing methods on performance of tested rice varieties, (2) to investigate the effect of sowing methods on yield and yield components of tested rice varieties in direct seeded rice areas (DSR) by using split-plot design with three replications. Three differ-ent rice varieties (Theehtatyin, Yeanelo 4 and Yeanelo1) were assigned in main plot and three different sowing methods (broadcasting, line sowing and drum seeder) were arranged in sub plot. Yeanelo 1 gave the highest grain yield (4.75 t ha-1) with the maximum number of spikelets panicle-1 in DaikU, whereas Theehtatyin obtained the highest grain yield (6.32 t ha-1) with the highest number of panicles m-2 and harvest index in Maubin. Although drum seeder had minimum number of panicles m-2, number of spikelets panicle-1, 1000-grain weight, panicle length and harvest index were relatively high among the sowing methods. Therefore, the results highlighted that drum seeder method gave the maximum grain yield for all tested rice varieties, especially, Yeanelo 1 for DaikU and Theehtatyin for Maubin

Combating Salinity Stress with Foliar Application of Sodium Antagonistic Essential Minerals on Yield and Yield Attributes of Cotton

The aim in this study was to investigate the appropriate level of foliar application on yield attributes of three tested cotton varieties (Ngwegyi-6, Shwetaung-8 and RAKA-666) for combating salinity stress. The common effect of salinity on plant growth is similar to water stress. Two field experiments were conducted in saline soil at Lungyaw Farm during pre-monsoon seasons, 2015 and 2016. Factorial ar-rangement in randomized complete block design was used with three replications. Five treatments as non spray (control), water spray, 500 mg L–1 KCl, 500 mg L–1 NH4NO3 and spray mixture (500 mg L–1 KCl + 500 mg L–1 NH4NO3 for 2015 and 250 mg L–1 KCl + 250 mg L–1 NH4NO3 for 2016) were used. Mineral foliar sprays clearly increased number of symbodial branches per plant, bolls per plant and seed cotton yield per plant than non spray treatment, whereas 500 mg L–1 NH4NO3 was more effective than other sprays in 2015. Number of sympodial branches per plant, bolls per plant, boll weight and seed cotton yield per plant were increased with 250 mg L–1 KCl + 250 mg L–1 NH4NO3 in 2016. Number of monopo-dial branches per plant was not significant among foliar sprays in both seasons. In 2015, the yield in-creased was obtained from 500 mg L–1 NH4NO3 and it was from 250 mg L–1 KCl + 250 mg L–1 NH4NO3 in 2016. However, the highest and satisfactory yield increased was resulted from 250 mg L–1 KCl + 250 mg L–1 NH4NO3. RAKA-666 generally produced highest seed cotton yield in both seasons. Mineral foli-ar 500 mg L–1 NH4NO3 in 2015 and the spray mixture in 2016 gave highest harvest index values. Amon