EFFECT OF FARMYARD MANURE, PHOSPHORUS AND ZINC ON YIELD, AND GRAIN QUALITY OF MAIZE (Zea mays l.)

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out during the summer seasons of 2013 and 2014 on maize plants (c.v. single hybrid 30K8) grown on a sandy loam soil at El-kassasin, Farm(30o 33׳ 31״ N- 30° 56׳ 7״ E, elev. 15.8 m), Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, to study the effect of FYM (0 and 10 m3 /fed), P (15, 30 and 45 kg P2O5/fed) and Zn as foliar spraying (0and 100 mg Zn/L) and their combinations on growth, yield and its components as well as grain quality of maize. The experiments were laid out in a split- split plot, arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The obtained results showed that application of FYM significantly increased the yield, yield components as well as some grain mineral contents and grain quality. All the studied characteristics were significantly affected by P- fertilizer. Application of P at the rate of 30 kg P2O5/fed resulted in the maximum plant height (250.75 cm), cob weight (306.08g), 100-grain weight (43.50 g), grain weight/ear (255.44 g), grain yield (3769.25 kg/ fed) and protein yield (478kg fed-1) as compared with the other P- fertilizer rates .Foliar application of zinc led to significant response of all studied characteristics. Application of FYM, p-fertilizer and foliar spraying of Zn in combination gave the best yield, yield components as well as some grain mineral contents and grain quality. Therefore, it could be concluded that the application of 10 m3 FYM/fed +30 kg P2O5/fed + foliar spraying of Zn (100 mg Zn/L) is the best formula for achieving the best crop and improving yield quality.