Effect of Detopping at 30 Days after Silking on Yield, Lodging and Profitability of Maize

Detopping is a canopy management practice in maize (Zea mays L.), recently receiving attention due to its potential to decrease lodging and improve yield performance and profitability. The current study investigated the impact of detopping on yield and economic returns in three locations Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh under no-detopping and detopping treatments. The results revealed that detopping had limited influence on cob size, as cob length and girth varied only slightly across locations ranging from 21.32–22.50 cm and 15.50–16.20 cm, respectively. While the number of rows per cob varied 16.00–18.33. Grain yield improved to some extent under detopping across all locations, increasing from 13.92 to 14.15 t ha−1 in Dinajpur, from 14.19 to 15.74 t ha−1 in Thakurgaon, and from 13.69 to 15.02 t ha−1 in Panchagarh. Fresh leaf yield was observed only in detopped plots, ranging from 9.43 to 11.34 t ha−1. Shelling percentage showed minor changes, with slight increases in Dinajpur (79.97% to 80.56%) and Panchagarh (81.72% to 82.25%). Economically, detopping significantly enhanced thebenefit-cost ratio across all locations, rising from 1.08 to 1.56 in Dinajpur, 1.10 to 1.45 in Thakurgaon, and 1.10 to 1.35 in Panchagarh. Importantly, complete lodging (100%) was observed in no-detopping plots, whereas detopped maize exhibited no lodging, contributing to improved plant stability and yield reliability. Although most differences were statistically non-significant, the overall trend supports detopping as a beneficial practice for enhancing maize productivity and profitability. Bangladesh Agron. J. 2026, 29(1): 55-60