PJB-2020-484
RESIDUAL EFFECT OF SUMMER GAP LEGUMES AND BIOCHAR FOR ENHANCING PRODUCTIVITY OF SUBSEQUENT MAIZE
Muhammad Shahab Daud
Abstract
A field experiment titled “Residual effect of summer gap legumes and biochar for enhancing productivity of subsequent maize” was conducted at the Agronomy Research Farm of The University of Agriculture Peshawar during Kharif 2014. In the experiment, mungbean, cowpea and sebbania were sown for grain, fodder and green manuring purposes, respectively as preceding crops along with a control (fallow) plots. Two levels of biochar (0 and 50 tons ha-1) were also applied in the summer gap to legume crops. Similalry, four N levels were applied to the subsequent maize as a test crop. Data were recorded on emergence, plant height, days to tasseling, days to maturity, ears plant-1 , grains ear-1 , ears m-2, plant at harvest ha -1, harvest index, grain yield, biological yield, and 1000 grain weight. The results indicated that nitrogen levels and legumes significantly affected emergence m-2, plant height, days to tasseling, days to maturity, number of grains ear-1, ears m-2, plants at harvest and grain yield of maize. Biochar had a non significant effect on all parameters except thousand grain weight and harvest index. Legumes like sesbania followed by cowpea and mungbean enhanced emergence m-2 and thousand grain weight in maize crop. The nitrogen level of 150 kg ha-1 showed maximum plant height, days to tesseling, days to maturity, grains ear-1, ear m-2, plant at harvest, grain yield and biological yield. Maximum thousand grain weight and harvest index was found with biochar at the rate of 50 tons ha-1. It is concluded that legumes like sesbanai, cowpea and mungban had pleasant effect on yield of subsequent maize crop under agro climatic conditions of Peshawar.
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