Response of organic acids and inorganic fertilizers on growth, yield and quality of Rabi maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the college Agronomy Farm, B. A. College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat during Rabi season of the year 2015-16 with a view to study the response of organic acids and inorganic fertilizers on growth, yield and quality of Rabi maize (Zea mays L.). Maize variety HQPM 1 used in experiment. The experiment consisted fifteen treatment combinations comprised of three treatments of inorganic fertilizers viz., F1: 50 % RDF, F2: 75 % RDF and F3: 100 % RDF (150-60-0 NPK kg ha-1) and five treatments of organic acids viz. M1: Control, M2: Humic acid @ 5 kg ha-1, M3: Humic acid @ 10 kg ha-1, M4: Citric acid @ 2.5 kg ha-1 and M5: Citric acid @ 5 kg ha-1 were tested in a factorial randomized block design with four replications. Significantly the highest cob length (16.91 cm), number of grain cob-1 (499), number of cob plant-1 (1.79), stover yield (7776 kg ha-1), protein content of grain and stover (10.43 and 2.87 %, respectively) were observed in case of application of 100 % RDF. While higher plant height at harvest (205.22 cm) and grain yield (5149 kg ha-1) were observed in case of application of 100 % RDF and it was remained at par with treatment 75% RDF. Among -1 (M5), humic acid 5 kg ha-1 (M2) and citric acid @ 2.5 kg ha-1 (M5). Higher level of organic acids treatments, significantly higher cob length (16.24 cm), number of grain cob-1 (486), grain yield (5103 kg ha-1) and protein content in grain (10.36 %) were observed under the application of 10 kg ha-1 humic acid and it was remained at par with application of citric acid @ 5 kg ha-1 (M5) and humic acid 5 kg ha-1 (M2). Plant height (204.78 cm) was observed in case of application of 10 kg ha-1 (M3) humic acid and it was remained at par with application of citric acid @ 5 kg hacob plant-1 (1.73) and stover yield (7507 kg ha-1) were observed in application of 10 kg ha-1 (M3) humic acid and it was remained at par with application of citric acid @ 5 kg ha-1 (M5). The highest protein content in stover (2.77 %) was observed in case of application of 10 kg ha-1 humic acid (M3). Higher net realization of ₹ 51101 ha-1 and higher B.C.R. value of 2.57 were recorded in 100 % RDF. Among organic acids resulted in to higher net realization ₹ 55449 ha-1 with B.C.R. of 3.03.