Effect of Various Stages and Levels of Detopping on Growth, Fodder Yield and Quality of Detopped Rabi maize (Zea mays L.)

A field experiment was conducted during rabi 2021-22 to study the effect of various stages and levels of detopping on growth parameters, fodder yield and quality parameters of detopped rabi maize at the Main Agricultural Research Station, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications and comprising sixteen treatment combinations with one control. The main plot consisted of four stages of detopping (detopping at 15 days, 20 days, 25 days and 30 days after silking and 0sub plot consisted of four levels of detopping (detopping up to two, three, four and five leaves). The results revealed that, higher plant height (189.64 cm) was recorded when detopping was carried out at 30 days after silking with top two leaves and was followed by detopping at 15 days, 20 days and 25 days after silking with top two leaves. Whereas, higher number of green leaves (10.33) and leaf area index (4.55) were recorded when detopping was carried out 15 days after silking with two leaves and was followed by detopping at 15 days after silking with top three leaves. Detopping at 15 days after silking with top five leaves recorded higher detopped green (5821 kg ha-1) and dry fodder yield (1537 kg ha-1) and was on par with detopping at 20 days after silking with top five leaves. The control (no detopping) treatment recorded significantly higher plant height, number of green leaves, leaf area index and total dry matter production.