Influence of Age at Transplanting on the Growth and Yield Performance of Maize Transplants

Suboptimal plant population had been fingered as a major reason for low yield in maize production. This problem arises from poor germination due to poor seed viability caused by poor storage, unfavourable weather and field pests amongst other factors. Similarly, unstable weather had made it near impossible to predict the optimum planting date in the tropics. It has thus become very imperative to experiment with alternative methods of plant establishment for enhanced maize production in the tropics. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate transplanting as a method of field establishment for maize in Ogbomoso, South West Nigeria. The treatments; transplanting at 1 week after planting (WAP), 2 WAP and 3 WAP were compared with the control, direct seeding, in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Management practices were carried out as prescribed for standard maize production.