Effect of biodegradable polymer coated urea fertilizers for the growth and yield of hybrid maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Urea is an instantaneous fertilizer, releasing nitrogen (N) rapidly after application to soil as it is effectively lost as ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching which causes nitrogen inadequacy around roots and in the long run causes a deficiency between nitrogen demand and supply. The nitrogen from controlled-release urea can be consumed by crops more congenial than the nitrogen from uncoated urea. A pot culture experiment was carried out to investigate the response of maize crop to controlled-release urea fertilizers. Three different coated materials were utilized to coat on urea viz., palm stearin, pine oleoresin, humic acid. Different thicknesses of coated urea were developed such as palm stearin coated urea (PSCU) 5, 10, 15%, pine oleoresin coated urea (POCU) 2, 4, 6%, and humic acid coated urea (HACU) 5, 10, 15%. The coated urea fertilizers impacted the growth and yield of maize and increment the yield from 26.7 – 33.5% over the uncoated urea. The most noteworthy rate augmentation of yield was seen in HACU 15% (33.5%) trailed by POCU 4% (32.4%) and PSCU 10% (32.1%). It was inferred that, better synchronization between the nitrogen Release from coated urea fertilizers and growth of maize throughout the growing season.