Vol. 12, Issue 6 (2023)

Author(s):
AP Singh, Brinder Singh, Jai Kumar, Vikas Abrol, AP Rai, Vikas Gupta, Rohit Sharma and Sunny Raina

Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted under rainfed condition during kharif seasons of 2014-2017 at the research farm of Advanced Centre for Rainfed Agriculture (Rakh Dhiansar) of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir (UT) to study the effect of integrated nutrient management practices on the growth, yield and nutrient uptake in rainfed maize. Results reveal that the growth parameters of maize crop such as plant height (cm) and dry matter accumulation (q ha^-1) were significantly influenced by different integrated nutrients management treatments. Among the integrated nutrient management treatments, highest plant height (199.1 cm) and dry matter accumulation (72.8 q ha^-1) were recorded with application of 50% RFD + 50% N (FYM) followed by 50% RFD + 50% N (crop residues) and100% RFD + ZnSO₄ 20 kg ha^-1. Among the integrated nutrient management treatments, highest cob length (16.9 cm), cob girth (14.1 cm), stem girth (6.3 cm), grains cob^-1 (308.9) and 100 seed weight (20.6 g) were recorded with application of 50% RFD + 50% N (FYM) followed by 50% RFD + 50% N (crop residues) and100% RFD + ZnSO₄ 20 kg ha^-1. Significantly higher grain yield (1759 kg ha^-1) was recorded in 50% RFD + 50% N (FYM) over all the other integrated nutrient management treatments except for 50% RFD + 50% N (crop residues). However, significantly higher straw yield (4049 kg ha^-1) was recorded in 50% RFD + 50% N (FYM) over all the integrated nutrient management treatments. Significantly higher total uptake of N, P and K by maize was observed in the treatment comprising of 50% RFD + 50% N (FYM) over all the other integrated nutrient management treatments.