Effect of combination of nitrogen and foliar applied zinc on growth and yield of hybrid maize

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted at the experimental farm, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University during the Kharif season 2016 to study the effect of combined application of nitrogen and foliar application of zinc on growth and yield of hybrid maize. The experiment was conducted with ten treatments which includes absolute control and increased level of nitrogen with two different sources of zinc viz., ZnSo4 and Zn EDTA. The growth and yield components of maize were favourably influenced by increased level of nitrogen along with zinc in this study. Among the treatments, application of 150% RDN + 0.5% ZnSO4 as foliar spray (T7) showed markable variation and recorded increased growth components like plant height, LAI, dry matter production and crop growth rate. This was statistically on par with the treatment 150% RDN + 0.5% Zn EDTA as foliar spray (T10) at all stages of crop growth. The yield components and yield like cob length, cob diameter and number of grains cob-1, grain yield and straw yield also recorded higher with the application of 150% RDN + 0.5% ZnSO4 as foliar spray (T7) and this was statistically on par with the treatment 150% RDN + 0.5% Zn EDTA as foliar spray (T10). Hence increased level of nitrogen along with foliar application of micronutrient increase the yield and economically benefit.