Effect of planting date and planting pattern on yield and quality of forage maize (Zea mays L.) in transplanting method

To investigate the effect of planting date and planting pattern on yield and quality characteristics of forage maize cv. KSC703 in transplanting method, split plot factorial arrangement in randomized complete block design with three replications was employed at Ekbatan research station of Agriculture and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Hamedan, Iran, in 2018 and 2019 growing seasons. Planting date at four levels; 05 May, 31 May, 26 June and 21 July with planting pattern at two levels; one-row with row spacing of 70 cm (conventional planting pattern) and two-rows with row spacing of 140 cm assigned to main plots and planting method at three levels; direct seeding, single and two seedlings were randomized in sub-plots. Plant density was 102,000 plants per hectare for all treatments. The highest fresh forage and protein yield obtained in the second planting date (65430 and 2437 kg.ha-1, respectively). In two-rows pattern, the fresh forage and protein yield were 20% and 14.5% higher than one-row pattern, respectively. Fresh forage and protein yield in single transplant were 11.5% and 10.8% higher than direct seeding and 6.6% and 7.4% higher than two seedlings, respectively. In early and late planting dates, single transplant had the highest fresh forage and protein yield (first planting date: 62883 and 2412 kg.ha-1 and third planting date: 57515 and 2115 kg.ha-1 and fourth planting date: 4755 and 1308 kg.ha-1, respectively). The rates of physical water productivity, net income and economic water productivity based on net income in two-rows pattern were 167.6%, 53.6% and 237% higher than in conventional one-row pattern, respectively. The rates of the above traits to replace direct seeding with single seedling increased by 42%, 12.1% and 33.8%, and to replace with two seedlings increased by 32.8%, 4.5% and 24.7% increase, respectively. Due to the significant increase in forage yield and water productivity as well as with 50% reduction in costs of irrigation tape under transplanting in two-rows pattern, this method (preferably as two seedlings for reducing production costs) is recommended as a suitable alternative method for direct seeding of forage maize production.