Nutrient management in maize (Zea mays L.) through soil and foliar application

Abstract

A field study was undertaken at the Agronomy Farm, College of Agriculture, Nagpur, during the kharif season of 2024 to evaluate the impact of soil and foliar nutrient applications on the yield performance and economic returns of maize. Maize was cultivated on clay soil characterized by medium nitrogen, low phosphorus, and high potassium content, with a pH of 7.65. The experiment followed a factorial randomized block design (FRBD) involving two factors. The first factor was comprised of three nutrient management treatments viz., 100% RDF (N1),125% RDF (N2) and 150% RDF (N3) and the second factor was comprised of six foliar applications micronutrients viz., 0.5% ZnSO4 (F1), 1.0% ZnSO4 (F2),0.5% FeSO4 (F3), 1.0% FeSO4 (F4),0.5% Boron(F5) and 1.0% Boron (F6) forming 18 treatment combinations replicated three times. Result revealed that yield attributing characters like length of cob, weight of cob, no. of grains cob-1 and grain yield plant-1, grain and straw yield, gross monetary returns, net monetary returns and B:C ratio was significantly higher with the application of 150% RDF (N3). In case of foliar application of micronutrients, 1% ZnSO4 produces highest yield attributing characters, grain and straw yield, gross monetary returns, net monetary returns and B:C ratio.