Effect of treated wastewater irrigation and graded fertilizer levels on quality parameters of fodder maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the summer seasons of 2021 and 2022 at the Agroforestry unit, Zonal Agricultural Research Station, GKVK, UAS, Bangalore to study the effect of different irrigation water sources and variable fertilizer doses on quality parameters of fodder maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment consisted of three irrigation water sources (Borewell water (BW), secondary treated wastewater (STW), and tertiary treated wastewater (TTW)) and four fertilizer levels (0, 25, 50, and 100 per cent of the recommended dose of fertilizers - RDF) in split plot design. The results indicated that irrigation with treated wastewater, particularly STW, significantly enhanced the crude protein (8.91%), ether extract (3.24%) and ash content (8.44%) compared to borewell water (8.23%, 2.90%, and 7.71%, respectively), with TTW (8.76%, 3.23%, and 8.34%, respectively) being statistically on par with STW for all three parameters. Similarly, the application of 100% RDF resulted in the highest crude protein (9.69%), ether extract (3.55%), and ash content (9.50%), and a significantly lower crude fibre content (29.62%) compared to the control (30.80%). The findings underscore the potential of utilizing treated wastewater in conjunction with optimal fertilizer management to improve the nutritional quality of fodder maize, offering a sustainable solution for water and nutrient resource management in agriculture.