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ORGANIC AND INORGANIC NITROGEN TREATMENTS EFFECTS ON PLANT AND YIELD ATTRIBUTES OF MAIZE IN A DIFFERENT TILLAGE SYSTEMS

AHMAD KHAN, M. TARIQ JAN, KHAN BAHADAR MARWAT AND M. ARIF

Abstract: In Pakistan, maize (Zea mays L.) is grown following a wheat crop under conventional tillage practices since long ago. The present concern about the soil fertility degradation, soil erosion and environmental pollution due to the intensive tillage practices and high inorganic fertilization is an important issue. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of various organic and inorganic nitrogen treatments under three tillage systems i.e., Deep tillage (DT), conventional tillage (CT) and minimum tillage (MT) on maize planted after wheat crop. Tillage significantly affected all parameters studied. Minimum tillage and CT proved superior in terms of emergence m^-2, plant height, grains per cob, 1000-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield and leaf area index compared to DT and were statistically at par with each other. Likewise, various organic and inorganic nitrogen treatments significantly affected all parameters except grains per cob. Farmyard manure application @ 20 tons ha^-1 combined with 60 kg N ha^-1 performed better than all other treatments and resulted in greater emergence, taller plants, higher thousand-grain weight, more leaf area index and greater grain and biological yields. It is concluded that FYM application in combination with minimum N is an alternative and sustainable practice of soil management for crop production either in MT or CT practices.

NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar-25000, Pakistan