EFFECT OF MANURING AND SPLIT APPLICATION OF NITROGEN ON GRAIN YIELD AND QUALITY OF MAIZE

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the agronomy field laboratory of Shcr-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangia Nagor, Dhaka. during the period from March to June 2006 to study the elThct of manuring and split application of nitrogen on grain yield and quality of maize cv. F3arnali. There were four nianunal doses, namely. M 1 - Inorganic Fertilizer (IF) only. M 2 - IF + cow-dung 5 t ha NI ) - IF + cow-dung lOt ha' and M4 - IF + cow-dung 15 t ha and two split applications of nitrogen. viz. SP 1 -2 splits and SP:-3 splits. Manuring was placed in main plot and split application of nitrogen in subplot each measuring Sm X 3m In a split plot design used with three replications. Four nutrients were applied which were N, P 205 , 1(20 and Sat the rate of 115 -72 - 60 - 22.32 kg ha1 and three nutrients were supplied in the form of Urea, TSP, MP and Gypsum respectively In SP 1 basal dose of urea was applied at final land preparation, and split at 25 and split at 45 days of sowing. In SP 2 basal dose urea was applied at final land preparation, and 3 splits respectively at 25. 45 and 65 days of sowing. Inorganic fertilizers ± cow-dung 15 t ha 1 (M4 treatment) gave the best response for all the parameters, whereas inorganic fertilizer (IF) only (M 1 treatment) gave the poorest response. Grain and stalk yields ranged respectively from 5.43 to 9.02 t ha 4 and from 6.76 to 12.16 t ha" due to different manuring treatments. The highest grain yield was obtained from M4 treatment, identically followed by M.; treatment, Grain protein content 10.6 was from M1 treatment and 13.16 from M., treatment, the latter being identically followed by M, and M2 treatments: Grain N and protein contents were nearly 2 times higher than those in stalk. Three split applications of N gave higher grain yield and tended to increase nutrient content of grain and stalk over 2 split applications of nitrogen. Results of the present study showed that application of cow-dung at the rate of 10 and IS ha' together with recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers improved grain yield and quality over inorganic fertilizers alone and 3 split applications of nitrogen increased grain yield and tended to improve grain quality of maize over 2 split applications of nitrogen.