Performance of fodder maize (Zea Mays L.) as influenced by residual effect of in organic fertilizer and biofertilizers in Western UP

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Research Farm of A.S. College, Lakhaoti, Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh during 2005–07 to “study on nutrient management in lentil and its residual effect on subsequent fodder The experiment was laid out in a split plot design keeping four treatments of inorganic fertilizers in main plots and four treatments of biofertilizers in sub-plots with three replications. The total number of treatments was 16 and total number of plots was 48. The gross plot size was 15m2 (5 × 3m). Application of 40 kg P2O5 through SSP + 5 kg Zn produced significantly taller plants of maize as compared to remaining treatments of fertilizer (40 kg P2O5 through RP and 40 kg P2O5 through RP + 5 kg Z) and control at both the stages of crop growth during both the seasons except that in 2005–06, where no significant effect was noted between 40 kg P2O5 through RP + 5 kg Zn and 40 kg P2O5 through SSP + 5 kg Zn. This might be due to better growth and fodder yield of maize resulted by enhanced availability of N and P due to enrichment of available N and P in soil by preceding lentil crop. Application of 40 kg P2O5 through RP and SSP + 5 kg Zn being at par produced markedly more fodder yield/plant over the application of 40 kg P2O5 through RP alone and no fertilizer application during both the seasons. Similar trend was observed in respect of dry matter yield/plant during both the years of investigation. However Dual application of Rhizobium and VAM fungi registered significant increase 6.00 and 8.00 respectively in fodder and dry matter yield/ha compared to VAM fungi inoculation during 2005–06 and the corresponding increase during 2006–07 were 8.00 and 4.00 VAM fungi also recorded increase 9.00 and 9.00% in dry fodder and dry matter yield/ha during 2005–06 and corresponding increase during 2006–07 were 11.00 and 10.00% over no inoculation. The differences in respect of dry matter yield/ha between Rhizobium and VAM fungi inoculation was not marked during 2006–07.