Response of rabi maize (Zea mays L.) to fertilizer application and organic liquid spray under South Gujarat condition

A field experiment was carried out at College Farm, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari on clayey soils during rabi season of 2017-18 to study the “Response of rabi maize (Zea mays L.) to fertilizer application and organic liquid spray under south Gujarat condition”. The experiment comprising of twelve treatment combinations and it is randomized three times. Recommended dose of fertilizer recorded significantly higher growth and yield attributes viz., plant height, dry matter accumulation/plant, number of leaves/plant, leaf area/plant, number of cobs/plant, number of grains/cob, cob length and girth, cob weight, test weight, shelling% as well as yields of rabi maize, but it remained at par with treatment 75% RDF. Application of 2% foliar spray of banana pseudo stem enrich sap recorded significantly higher growth as well and yield attributing characters and yields of rabi maize. Most of all the growth attributes, yield attributes and yields of maize recorded significantly higher under two sprays of organic liquid at 30 and 40 DAS over one spray of organic liquid at 30 DAS.

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Experimental Treatment MatrixClose ×

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Plant height (cm) / At 30 DAS and At 60 DAS and more: F1-100% RDF vs F2-75% RDF vs F3-50% RDFClose ×

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Grain yield (kg/ha) and Straw yield (kg/ha): D1-1% organic liquid vs D2-2% organic liquidClose ×

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Introduction

Maize (Zea mays L.) the "Queen of Cereals", popularly known as corn, is one of the most important cereals of the world, ranking third among the food crop, next to rice and wheat, both in respect of area and production. Nutrients applied in RDF are nitrogen and phosphorus from which Nitrogen is the key element in crop growth and is the most limiting nutrient in Indian soil. The paramount importance of nitrogen for increasing the yield has been widely accepted. Corn responds well to phosphatic fertilizers in almost all the soil types. It plays vital role in plant nutrition. Enriched banana pseudostem sap which is used for foliar spray in experiment as a organic liquid is a rich source of plant nutrient like K, Fe and plant growth regulators and it is obtained as a by-product during extraction of fiber from banana plant which is first time prepared by soil and water management research unit NAU, Navsari.

Material and Methods

A field experiment was conducted at the College Farm, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari during rabi season of 2017-18. The soil of experimental field was clay in texture, low in organic carbon (0.44%) and available nitrogen (190.30 kg/ha), medium in available P 2 O 5 (32.15 kg/ha) and high in available K 2 O (364.23 kg/ha). The soil was found slightly alkaline (pH 7.8) in nature with normal electric conductivity of 0.145 dS/m. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with factorial concept (FRBD) with three replications. Total twelve treatment combinations consisting of three levels of fertilizer viz., 100% RDF (120:60:00 N:P:K kg/ha), 75% RDF (90:45:00 N:P:K kg/ha) and 50% RDF (60:30:00 N:P:K kg/ha), two dose of organic liquid viz., 1% organic liquid (D 1 ) and 2% organic liquid (D 2 ) and various time of spray of organic liquid viz., one spray of organic liquid at 40 DAS (T 1 ) and two spray of organic liquid at 30 DAS and 40 DAS (T 2 ). Maize variety "GM-3" was sown on 21 November 2017 using seed rate 25 kg/ha with raw spacing 60 cm and plant spacing 20 cm and crop was harvested on 14 marches 2018.

The field observation on plant height, dry matter accumulation/plant, number of leaves/plant, leaf area/plant, number of cobs/plant, number of grains/cob, cob length, cob girth, cob weight, test weight, grain and straw yield was recorded. Five plants from each plot were randomly selected and observations like plant height, dry matter accumulation/plant, number of leaves/plant, leaf area/plant at 30, 60, 90 DAS and at harvest were recorded and averaged. The yields attributed were recorded at harvesting to assess the contribution of yield. The experimental data analyzed statistically by applying the technique of analysis of variance (ANOVA) prescribed for the design to test the significance of overall difference among treatments by the F test and conclusion were drawn at 5% probability level. Economics of treatments also worked out.

Result and Discussion

Result and Discussion

Fertilizer application

Successive levels of fertilizer significantly increased the growth attributes, yield and yield attributes. Significantly ), shelling% (78.00%) with higher grain yield (4507 kg/ha) and straw yield (8465 kg/ha) was recorded in treatment receiving 100% RDF, while the lowest in the 50% RDF but plant height, dry matter accumulation, number of leaves/plant, leaf area/plant, number of cobs/plant, grain yield, straw yield and shelling% remained at par with 75% RDF. The positive effect of nitrogen and phosphorus supplied through N and P fertilizers on growth could be as described to its effectiveness in providing a balanced nutritional both in rhizosphere and plant system. Nitrogen is considered to be a vitally important plant nutrient. It is an integral part of chlorophyll which is the primary absorber of light energy needed for photosynthesis. P is an important structural component of nucleic acid, protein, phospholipids and enzymes the overall improvement in crop growth and yield attributes as well as yield under the influence of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization could possibly be better result of growth attributes, yield attributes and yield. The present investigation are in close conformity with the finding of Kumar et al. (2006) [5] , Mathukia et al. (2014) [7] Damor et al. (2017) [2] and Sadhukhan et al. (2018) [9] in maize crop.

Dose of organic liquid

Appraisal of data shows that significantly the highest plant height at 60, 90 DAS and at harvest (166.42 cm, 180.42 cm and 193.79 cm, respectively) dry matter accumulation at 60, 90 DAS and at harvest (79.92 g, 161.31 g and 185.09 g, respectively), number of leaves/plant at 60, 90 DAS and at harvest (10.95, 12.60 and 11.64, respectively) and leaf area/plant at 60, 90 DAS and at harvest (2739.8 cm 2 , 2942.2 cm 2 and 3190.9 cm 2 , respectively) Number of cobs/plant (1.18) and grains/cob (444), cob length (15.7 cm), cob girth (14.5 cm) Cob weight (154 g) and test weight (236 g), shelling% (77.60%) with higher grain yield (4296 kg/ha) and straw yield (8436 kg/ha) was recorded in 2% organic liquid over 1% organic liquid. Foliar application of organic liquid to plant in the adequate amount to fulfill the nutrients requirement of maize crop which increased nutrients uptake that lead to improvement in the growth attributes which effectively increased the yield parameters of maize crop. Singhal et al. (2015) [11] in cow pea and Barad et al. (2017) [1] in pearlmillet.

Time of spray of organic liquid

Data given in Table 1, 2 and 3 shows that significantly the highest plant height at 60, 90 DAS and at harvest (165.87 cm, 181.50 cm and 194.56 cm, respectively) dry matter accumulation at 60, 90 DAS and at harvest (80.08 g, 162.86 g and 182.37 g, respectively), number of leaves/plant at 60, 90 DAS and at harvest (10.89, 12.58 and 11.66, respectively) and leaf area/plant at 60, 90 DAS and at harvest (2701.0 cm 2 , 2902.5 cm 2 and 3190.9 cm 2 , respectively) Number of cobs/plant (1.22) and grains/cob (443), cob length 16.3 cm), cob girth (14.9 cm) Cob weight (154 g) and test weight (239 g), shelling% (78.70%) with higher grain yield (4380 kg/ha) and straw yield (8448 kg/ha) was recorded in two spray of organic liquid at 30 DAS and 40 DAS (T 2 ) over one spray of organic liquid at 40 DAS (T 1 ). The increase in growth attributes may be due to spray of organic liquid at most critical growth stages satisfied the nutrients requirement of maize crop which enhanced the photosynthetic activity of plant resulted in higher production of photosynthesis leads better growth of crop. Dekhane et al. (2017) [3] in wheat. Significantly higher cob weight of maize was recorded under treatment combination of F 1 D 2 T 2 and it remained at par with treatment combination of F 1 D 1 T 1 . Test weight (1000 seed weight) of rabi maize was noted significantly higher under treatment combination of F 1 D 2 T 2 . Grain yield (4939 kg/ha) of rabi maize was noted significantly higher under treatment combination of F 1 D 2 T 2 which remained statistically at par with treatment combination of F 2 D 2 T 2 over other treatment combinations. The increases in growth attributes like plant height, dry matter accumulation/plant, number of leaves/plant and leaf area/plant may be due to supply of essential plant nutrients at right time in right proportion through inorganic and organic forms of fertilizer by soil application as well as foliar application under these treatment combinations which resulted in higher production of photosynthates which utilizes by plant for development of sink of maize plant so better growth and yield parameters found under these treatment combinations which ultimately resulted in higher grain yield. These findings are in close vicinity with those reported by Loganathan and Wahab (2014) [6] in baby corn, Devi and Mani (2015) [4] in rice, Pal et al. (2015) [8] in sweet corn, Sahare (2015) [10] in rice crop and Dekhane et al. (2017) [3] in wheat.

Treatments	Plant height (cm)	—	—	—	Dry matter accumulation/plant (g)	—	—	—
	At 30 DAS	At 60 DAS	At 90 DAS	At harvest	At 30 DAS	At 60 DAS	At 90 DAS	At harvest
(A) Fertilizer application (F)
F1-100% RDF	71.15	168.31	182.48	197.81	7.28	81.40	163.57	187.78
F2-75% RDF	66.20	162.15	176.64	186.64	6.72	76.20	157.20	176.61
F3-50% RDF	63.56	151.77	167.11	179.68	6.29	70.97	152.31	167.13
C.D. at 5%	4.67	11.60	12.26	14.07	0.42	5.79	8.07	12.36
(B) Dose of organic liquid (D)
D1-1% organic liquid	65.09	155.07	170.40	182.30	6.60	72.46	154.08	169.26
D2-2% organic liquid	68.84	166.42	180.42	193.79	6.93	79.92	161.31	185.09
C.D. at 5%	NS	9.47	10.01	11.49	NS	4.72	6.59	10.09
(C) Time of spray of organic liquid (T)
T1-One spray at 40 DAS	66.08	155.62	169.32	181.53	6.75	72.30	152.53	171.97
T2-Two spray at 30 DAS and 40 DAS	67.86	165.87	181.50	194.56	6.77	80.08	162.86	182.37
C.D. at 5%	NS	9.47	10.01	11.49	NS	4.73	6.56	10.09
Significant interaction	-	F × D × T	F × D × T	F × D × T	-	F × D × T	F × D × T	F × D × T

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Effect of fertilizer application, dose of organic liquid and time of spray of organic liquid on plant height and dry matter accumulation/plant

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Economics

Data presented in (2015) [8] in maize.

Conclusion

On the basis of results obtained in the present investigation, it can be concluded that rabi maize var. GM-3 should be fertilized with 75% RDF (90-45-00 NPK Kg/ha) along with foliar spray of 2% organic liquid (Enriched banana pseudostem sap) at 30 and 40 DAS under south Gujarat condition for obtaining more remunerative production with sustaining soil nutrients status.

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Treatments	Number of leaves/Plant	—	—	—	Leaf area/plant (cm2)	—	—	—
	At 30 DAS	At 60 DAS	At 90 DAS	At harvest	At 30 DAS	At 60 DAS	At 90 DAS	At harvest
(A) Fertilizer application (F)
F1-100% RDF	9.83	11.10	12.89	11.79	1476.6	2737.4	2938.9	3188.3
F2-75% RDF	9.03	10.49	12.31	11.27	1364.6	2674.1	2875.7	3125.7
F3-50% RDF	8.45	9.92	11.42	10.75	1284.4	2494.9	2663.4	2913.4
C.D. at 5%	0.74	0.91	0.90	0.58	103.42	160.57	180.81	181.21
(B) Dose of organic liquid (D)
D1-1% organic liquid	8.89	10.05	11.81	10.90	1345.7	2531.1	2710.7	2960.7
D2-2% organic liquid	9.31	10.95	12.60	11.64	1404.7	2739.8	2941.2	3190.9
C.D. at 5%	NS	0.73	0.74	0.47	NS	131.10	147.60	148.0
(C) Time of spray of organic liquid (T)
T1-One spray at 40 DAS	8.95	10.11	11.84	10.88	1353.3	2569.9	2749.4	2960.7
T2-Two spray at 30 DAS and 40 DAS	9.26	10.89	12.58	11.66	1397.1	2701.0	2902.5	3190.9
C.D. at 5%	NS	0.73	0.74	0.47	NS	131.10	147.63	147.96
Significant Interaction	-	-	-	F × D × T	-	F × D × T	F × D × T	F × D × T

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Effect of fertilizer application, dose of organic liquid and time of spray of organic liquid on Number of leaves/plant and Leaf area/plant on

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Treatments	Number of cobs/plant	Number of grains/cob	Cob length (cm)	Cob girth (cm)	Cob weight (g)	Test weight (g)	Shelling%	Grain yield (kg/ha)	Straw yield (kg/ha)
(A) Fertilizer application (F)
F1-100% RDF	1.23	445	16.5	15.6	159	244.2	78.0	4507	8465
F2-75% RDF	1.11	440	15.6	14.7	148	223.8	74.0	4285	8354
F3-50% RDF	1.05	409	13.8	12.0	142	198.6	70.0	3785	7799
C.D. at 5%	0.13	27.0	0.8	0.9	8.3	17.8	6.3	253.3	562.4
(B) Dose of organic liquid (D)
D1-1% organic liquid	1.07	419	14.9	13.6	146	208.4	70.4	4089	7976
D2-2% organic liquid	1.18	444	15.7	14.5	154	236	77.6	4296	8436
C.D. at 5%	0.11	22.1	0.7	0.7	6.79	14.56	5.2	206.8	459.2
(C) Time of spray of organic liquid (T)
T1-One spray at 40 DAS	1.03	420	14.3	13.3	146	205	69.3	4005	7964
T2-Two spray at 30 DAS and 40 DAS	1.22	443	16.3	14.9	154	239	78.7	4380	8448
C.D. at 5%	0.11	22.1	0.68	0.23	6.79	14.56	5.2	206.8	459.2
Significant Interaction	-	F × D × T	-	-	F × D × T	F × D × T	-	F × D × T	-

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Effect of fertilizer application, dose of organic liquid and time of spray of organic liquid on yield attributes and yields of maize.

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Treatment	—	Plant height (cm) at 60 DAS	—	Plant height (cm) at 90 DAS	—	Plant height (cm) at harvest	—	Dry matter accumulation/plant (g) at 60 DAS	—	Dry matter accumulation/plant (g) at 90 DAS	—	Dry matter accumulation/plant (g) at harvest	—
F	D	T		T		T		T		T		T
		T1	T2	T1	T2	T1	T2	T1	T2	T1	T2	179.94	180.22
F1	D1	163.09	163.07	176.62	178.95	196.90	194.36	76.80	78.33	158.97	160.50	179.03	211.91
	D2	161.66	185.44	174.85	199.49	180.19	219.80	79.33	91.13	154.50	180.30	164.41	170.70
F2	D1	152.18	159.25	166.13	175.32	174.60	182.97	67.57	74.80	149.74	156.97	178.19	193.15
	D2	155.26	181.90	168.88	196.28	186.51	202.48	73.27	89.17	154.10	168.00	148.34	171.95
F3	D1	136.38	156.45	151.97	173.41	160.96	184.01	62.07	75.20	140.90	157.37	181.94	166.31
	D2	165.15	149.09	177.49	165.57	190.00	183.75	74.77	71.86	156.94	154.03	179.94	180.22
S.Em. +	7.91			8.36		9.59		3.95		5.51		8.42
C.D. 5%	23.21			24.53		28.14		11.58		16.15		24.72

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Interaction effect of various treatments on growth attributes of maize

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Treatment	—	Number of leaves/plant at harvest	—	Leaf area/plant (cm2) at 60 DAS	—	Leaf area/plant (cm2) at 90 DAS	—	Leaf area/plant (cm2) at harvest	—	Number of grains/cob	—	Cob weight (g)	—	—	Test weight (g)	—	—	Grain yield (kg/ha)	—
F	D	T		T		T		T		T		T			T			T
		T1	T2	T1	T2	T1	T2	T1	T2	T1	T2	T1	T2	T1		T2	T1		T2
F1	D1	11.33	11.48	2532.8	2784.3	2734.3	2985.8	2984.3	3235.8	440.99	424.01	158	153	217.0		228.3	4365		4379
	D2	11.58	12.76	2785.3	2847.1	2986.8	3048.6	3236.8	3296.3	429.51	485.97	154	173	225.9		305.5	4346		4939
F2	D1	10.41	11.13	2589.8	2447.3	2791.3	2648.8	3041.3	2898.8	409.46	435.76	142	151	179.9		237.1	3997		4340
	D2	10.98	12.57	2679.3	2980.4	2880.8	3181.9	3130.8	3431.9	454.53	459.43	149	154	219.3		258.9	4290		4697
F3	D1	9.86	11.17	2257.7	2575.2	2327.1	2776.7	2577.1	3026.7	369.39	432.84	128	146	189.5		198.3	3272		4178
	D2	11.13	10.84	2574.8	2571.9	2776.3	2773.4	3026.3	3023.4	418.34	416.77	146	148	198.7		207.6	3759		3929
S.Em. +	0.39			109.49		123.29		123.57		18.44		5.6			12.2			172.7
C.D. 5%	1.16			321.14		361.62		362.43		54.07		16.6			35.7			506.7

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Interaction effect of various treatments on growth attributes, yield attributes and yield of maize

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Treatments	Yield (kg/ha)	—	Cost of production (₹/ha)	Gross realization (₹/ha)	Net realization (₹/ha)	B:CRatio
	Seed	Straw
F1D1T1	4365	8119	34304	107606	73302	3.14
F1D1T2	4378	8289	35194	108297	73103	3.07
F1D2T1	4346	8542	34954	108284	73330	3.10
F1D2T2	4939	8906	35844	121050	85205	3.38
F2D1T1	3997	7671	33404	99135	65731	2.97
F2D1T2	4340	8789	34294	108778	74484	3.17
F2D2T1	4289	8348	34054	106663	72609	3.13
F2D2T2	4697	8603	34944	115449	80505	3.30
F3D1T1	3271	7091	32508	83165	50657	2.56
F3D1T2	4177	7892	33398	103288	69890	3.10
F3D2T1	3759	8007	33158	95202	62044	2.87
F3D2T2	3929	8204	34048	99096	65048	2.91

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Effect of various treatment combinations on economics of maize

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1. Barad HL, Patel CK, Patel DK, Sharma S, Joshi JR. Effect of organic manures and levels of inorganic fertilizers with and without banana sap on yield, quality and economics of summer pearlmillet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) under south Gujarat condition. International Journal of Science, Environment and Technology. 2017;6(4):2224-2231.
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8. Pal A, Dwivedi SK, Maurya PK, Kanwar P. Effect of seaweed saps on growth, yield, nutrient uptake and economic of maize (sweet corn). Journal of Applied and Natural Science. 2015;7(2):970-975.
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