Effect of foliar application of nutrients on growth and productivity of rabi maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Maize being the third important cereal crop after rice and wheat in terms of area and production plays an important role in food security. Like other cereal crops it utilizes greater amount of nutrients from soil. Still the farmers are not getting potential yield in summer maize. Foliar application of nutrients like nitrogen and potassium can enhance the yield and profit of farmers as it can accelerate the crop growth and help in partitioning of photosynthate in sink having a linear relationship of these nutrients with net assimilation ratio. Keeping in the view of the above points, this experiment was conducted at Bagusala Research Farm of Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha using Randomized Block Design comprising three replications and nine treatments i.e., T1: Control, T2: Urea 0.5%, T3: Urea 1%, T4: K2SO4 0.5%, T5: K2SO4 1%, T6: Urea 0.5% + K2SO4 0.5%, T7: Urea 0.5% + K2SO4 1%, T8: Urea 1% -4 K2SO4 0.5% and Tg: Urea 1% + K2SO4 1%. All the foliar applications were done at tasseling stage of the crop. Crop growth parameters (plant height, dry matter accumulation/m2, leaf area index and stem girth), yield parameters (number of cobs/plant, number of grains/cob, cob length, cob girth and test weight) and yield (grain yield, stover yield and harvest index) were recorded and economics (net return and benefit cost ratio) were calculated. All the treatments significantly influenced the growth, yield parameters and yield. Among the treatments, foliar application of Urea 1% - K2SO4 1% performed the best achieving higher growth and grain yield (5.80 t/ha) and obtaining the highest net return (Rs. 62,597/-) and benefit cost ratio (1.37).