Effects of different levels of Phosphorus and Zinc on physico-chemical properties of soil, growth and yield of Maize (Zea mays L.) Var. Shivani

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during Rabi season (October – March) 2017-18 to study the “Effect of different levels of Phosphorus and Zinc on the physico-chemical properties of soil, Growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.). Var. Shivani” on crop research farm Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, the design applied was 3x3 factorial Randomized Block Design having three factors with three levels of Phosphorus @ 0%, 50%, and 100 % ha-1 and three levels of Zinc @ 0%,50% and 100% ha-1 respectively. The best treatment was T8 -P2+ Z2 [@ 100% phosphorus ha-1+ 100% Zinc ha-1] that showed the highest yield regarding, gave the best results with respect to plant height 169.58 cm, number of leaves per plant 14.41, leaf length per plant 54.5 cm, no. of grains per cob 313.66 cm and cob length 16.5 cm, it gave highest yield, 49.61 q ha-1, as grain yield and 73.6 q ha-1 as straw yield. In post-harvest soil properties, the important parameter on chemical properties on maize crop different treatment of phosphorus and zinc, EC and pH, organic carbon (%), was found non-significant. available nitrogen (kg ha-1), phosphorus (kg ha-1), potassium (kg ha-1) and zinc (ppm) was found significant. pH, EC, organic carbon (%), available nitrogen (kg ha-1), phosphorus (kg ha-1), potassium (kg ha-1) and zinc (ppm ha-1) was recorded as 7.13,0.217, 0.643, 340.59, 36.68, 178.63 and 1.53 respectively in the treatment T8 -P2+ Z2 [@ 100% phosphorus ha-1+ 100% Zinc ha-1]. The economy of different treatment concerned, the treatment T6 (P2+ Z2) provides highest net profit of 47275.08 with cost benefit ratio of 1: 2.61.