REDUCTION OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZER USE IN MAIZE BY NUTRISMART-AN ECO-FRIENDLY FERTILIZER

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the Nov 2007-Dec 08 to find out the optimum combination of chemical fertilizer and Nutrismart (,in ceo-friendly fertilizer) and there by reducing the use of chemical fertilizer in two Maize variety- I3ARI hybrid bhutta-5 and Composite variety Khaibhutta with 5 combinations of fertilizer. The treatment were F1 (11)0% Recommended Chemical fertilizer). F2 (50% Chemical fcrtilizer+ 50% Nu(rismart). F3 (40% Chemical fertilizer + 60% Nutrismart), 1"4 (25%Chemical fertilizer I 75% Nutrismart) and F 5 (100% Nutrismart). The data revealed that the variety BARI hybrid bhutta 5 gave higher LAI. cob diameter, cob length, weight of 1000 grains, shelling percentage. biological yield (t ha") and harvest index. On the other hand, the plant height and the rest yield contributing parameters (no.of cobs planf'. no. of grain rows plani'. no. of grains cob') were similar in Composite variety with that of [3ARI hybrid bhutta 5. Though both the varieties showed the statistically similar grain, stover and biological yield (I hi') but numerically the grain and biological yield were higher found in the I3ARI hybrid bhutta 5 and comparatively higher stover yield in the composite variety. With the interaction of variety and fertilizer combination. V1 F, gave the highest result but the 1: 2 gave more or less similar response when it interact with the two varieties but in case of harvest index, the treatment V,F 2 and V,F, gave the superior result among all the interactions. The overall results indicated that in case of hybrid variety 50 to 60% chemical fertilizer could he replaced through Nutrismart by sacrificing only 10.18 to 17.10% yield but in case of composite variety similar yield was possible by 50% chemical fertilizer ± 50% Nutrismart compared to that of 100% chemical fertilizer use.