Long term effect of nutrient management practices on performance of quality protein maize under maize (Zea mays)wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping sequence

Abstract

An investigation was carried out during (200911) at Ranchi, Jharkhand, in the field under long-term experi- ment since 1983, to evaluate the performance of HQPM 1 maize (Zea mays L.) as affected by continuous appli- cation of different nutrient-management practices under maize (Zea mays L.)wheat [Ttriticum aestivum (L.) emend. Fiori & Paol.] cropping sequence. Combined application of organic sources, namely farmyard manure (FYM), cut paddy straw and green karanj [Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre] leaves along with chemical fertilizers im- proved maize grain yield, yield-attributing characters, viz. cobs/plant, length of cob, girth of cob, grain rows/cob, grains/row, grains/cob and 1,000-grain weight, and growth parameters, viz. plant height, leaf area index (LAI), dry matter production (DMP), net assimilation rate (NAR) and crop growth rate (CGR). Highest LAI (3.6), DMP (1190.6 g/m2), NAR (6.4 g/m2/day), CGR (12.2 g/m2/day), maize grain yield (4.37 t/ha), MEY (9.69 t/ha), production effi- ciency (40.4 kg/ha/day), protein content (9.56%) and benefit: cost ratio (0.87) was observed for the treatment re- ceiving integrated nutrient-management practices through FYM. The results revealed that substitution of N through FYM up to 50% along with 50% RDF for maize followed by 100% RDF for wheat was found to be superior for increasing growth and yield parameters of QPM, protein content, higher income and enhances soil fertility un- der maizewheat cropping sequence in upland soils of Jharkhand.