NITROGEN MANAGEMENT STUDIES IN AUTUMN PLANTED MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) HYBRIDS
M. F. Saleem, M. S. Randhawa, S. Hussain, M. A. Wahid and S. A. Anjum
Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.
Corresponding author:mfsuaf@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
A field experiment was conducted at Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, during autumn 2006 to evaluate the performance of two maize hybrids (R-2315, R-2331 ) under split dose of N application at different growth stages of crop plants (full N at sowing, half N at sowing + half N 25 DAS; 1/3 N at sowing + 1/3 N 25 DAS + 1/3 N at 55 DAS) and different methods of fertilizer application (broadcast and side placement/side dressing) to improve its efficiency. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with split- split plot arrangement; keeping maize hybrids in main plot, time of N application in sub-plot and method of N application (M) in sub- sub plots. It was observed that maize hybrids were statistically similar for number of days taken to mature, number of grains per cob, 1000-grain weight, and grain yield while the timing and method of N application significantly affected the same parameters. The more number of days taken to mature (102.38), maximum number of grains per cob (519.00), 1000-grain weight (297.64 g) and grain yield (6.42 t ha-1) were recorded when 1/3 N was applied at sowing + 1/3 N at 25 DAS and 1/3 N 55 DAS as compared to other timings of N application at different growth stages of crop. Likewise, the higher number of days taken to mature (99.58), and higher number of grains per cob (514.17), 1000-grain weight (286.22 g) and grain yield (6.07 t ha-1) were recorded, when N was side dressed/side placed as compared to N application through broadcast in the same parameters. It was concluded that 1/3 N application at the time of sowing, 1/3 N application 25 DAS + 1/3 N application 55 DAS by side dressing/side placement was the best efficient methodology for N management, irrespective of the type of maize hybrid.
Key Words: Maize hybrids, time and method of N application, yield and its attributes |
