Effect of nitrogen and seaweed extract (k-sap) on growth and yield of Zaid Maize

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Zaid season 2023 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Sciences and Technology. To determine “Effect of nitrogen and seaweed extract (k-sap) on growth and yield of Maize”. The treatment consisted of three levels of nitrogen (90,120,150 kg/ha) respectively and three levels of seaweed extract (5%, 10%, 15%). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with 10 treatments and replicated thrice. The result revealed that application of (nitrogen 150 kg/ha + seaweed extract 15%) (treatment 9) recorded significantly higher plant height (181.40 cm), higher plant dry weight (102.17 g), maximum number of cobs/plant (2.00), maximum number of grains/cob (245.37), Number of rows/cob (15.40), higher cob length (20.26 cm), higher grain yield (2.83 t/ha) and higher stover yield (6.63 t/ha). Highest gross return (79,900.00 INR/ha), net return (51,237.30 INR/ha) and B:C ratio (1.79) was recorded in treatment 9 (nitrogen150 kg/ha + seaweed extract 15%) was found to be productive as well as economically feasible.