Precision Nitrogen Management for Enhancing Yield and Quality of Fodder Maize

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2020 at Dry land Agriculture Research Station, Rangreth, Srinagar, Kashmir on Precision Nitrogen Management for enhancing fodder yield and nitrogen use efficiency in forage maize variety SFM-1 (KDFM-1) planted in a spacing of 30 x10 cm. The treatments consisted of T1 (No N), T2 50 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on SPAD meter critical value of 40, T3 50 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on SPAD meter critical value of 50, T4 50 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on LCC 4, T5 50 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on LCC 5, T6 100 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on SPAD meter critical value of 40, T7 100 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on SPAD meter critical value of 50, T8 100 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on LCC 4, T9 100 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on LCC 5, T10 150 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on SPAD meter critical value of 40, T11 150 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on SPAD meter critical value of 50, T12 150 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on LCC 4, T13150 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on LCC 5, T14 As per recommended package of practices (50% N as basal, remaining 50% at 30 days after sowing).The treatments were replicated thrice in a randomized block design. The results recorded during the year indicated that production of fodder maize was better with the treatment T13 (150 kg N/ha (40% N basal) + remaining based on LCC 5. It recorded 470.01 q green and 135.02 q dry matter yield per hectare. The growth parameters namely; plant height; number of leaves per plant and quality were also improved with this treatment as compared to other treatments.