Effect of Foliar Application of Boron and Silicon on Growth and Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

This field experiment was carried out during Zaid season 2022 at experimental field of Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology& Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. The soil of experimental plot was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH7.3), low in organic carbon (0.48%), available nitrogen (230 kg/ha), available phosphorus (13.60 kg/ha) and available potassium (215.4 kg/ha).. Ten treatments, each replicated three times, were used in the one-year experiment, which was set up using a randomised block design. The results of the study showed that the treatment B3 (100 ppm) + Si3 (700 ppm) significantly increased plant height (193.66 cm), the number of leaves per plant (12.83), the dry weight of the plant (93.61 g/plant), and yield attributes such as the number of cobs per plant (3.4), the length of the cob (20.94 cm), the number of rows per cob (15.6), and the number of grains per cob (534.2). The yield parameters of Seed index (30.7), Grain yield (6.98 t/ha), and Straw yield (14.73 t/ha) were considerably greater with the same treatment B3 (100 ppm) + Si3 (700 ppm).