PJB-2022-17
MANAGEMENT OF ORGANIC NITROGEN SOURCES FOR IMPROVING MAIZE PRODUCTIVITY AND SOIL FERTILITY
Ikram Ullah
Abstract
Field trials were conducted in randomized complete block design with three replications at Agronomy Research Farm, the University of Agriculture Peshawar during summer 2017 and 2018. The experiment was consisted of two factors i.e. organic nitrogen sources (poultry manure (PM), farmyard manure (FYM) and legume residue (LR) and their ratios i.e. 100:0:0, 0:100:0, 0:0:100, 50:50:0, 0:50:50 and 50:0:50 in the form of non-compost, compost and biochar. A control and inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizer treatments were also included in the experiment. Results of the data exhibited that PM delayed tasseling, silkinig and maturity in comparison with FYM and LR. PM also increased weed fresh biomass (180 g m-2), plant height (220 cm), leaf area (343 cm2), leaf area index (2.94), grains ear-1(493), thousand grain weight (322 g), biological yield (15102 kg ha-1), grain yield (5370 kg ha-1), soil organic matter (0.78%), soil mineral N (17.79 mg kg-1), soil total N (0.061%), grain N content (1.611%), straw N content (0.431%), grain N uptake (87 kg ha-1), straw N uptake (42 kg ha-1) and total N uptake (129 kg ha-1) as compared to FYM and LR. Differently, FYM increased weed density (131 m-2), weed dry biomass (44 g m-2), plant height (219 cm) and harvest index (36.7%). Among organic N ratios, the 100:0:0 (non-compost:compost:biochar) delayed tasseling, silking and maturity and resulted in higher weed density (153 m-2), weed fresh and dry biomass (220 and 49 g m-2, respectivley), soil pH (7.79), and soil bulk density (1.21 g cm-3). Likewise, the ratio of 0:50:50 (non-compost:compost:biochar) enhanced plant height (229 cm), number of leaves plant-1 (13.3), leaf area (364 cm2), leaf area index (3.38), ears m-2 (7.2), grains ear-1(509), thousand grain weight (333 g), biological yield
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