Paper Details

PJB-2022-123

EFFCETOF HUMIC ACID ON THE YEILD AND AVAILABILTY OF MICRONUTRIENTS (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and B) TO DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF SPRING MAIZE

Uzair Gul
Abstract

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A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of humic acid on the yield and availability of micronutrients (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and B) to different varieties of spring maize at Agriculture Research Farm, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar in spring 2021. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design having three replications. Spring maize varieties ‘Azam” and ‘Jalal” were grown in the experimental plot. Humic acid was applied at different levels such as 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 kg ha-1, while sources of micronutrients Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and B were applied to the plots at the rate of 5, 2, 2, 5 and 0.5 kg ha-1, respectively. NPK was also applied at the rate of 120, 90 and 60 kg ha-1 to all treatment plots uniformly as a basal dose. Results revealed that yield and yield attributes were affected significantly with the different levels of humic acid of spring maize varieties ‘Azam” and ‘Jalal” respectively. In this regard the maximum plant height, leaf area, grain yield, biological yield, thousand grain weight, number of cobs plant-1 and harvest index was obtained in plot treated with humic acid at the rate of 10 kg ha-1, while minimum was obtained in control. The concentration of micronutrients (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and B) in leaves at silking stage gave significant response to applied humic acid in spring maize varieties ‘Azam” and ‘Jalal”, respectively. The maximum concentration of Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and B in leaves at silking stage were noted in the plot treated with humic acid at the rate of 12 kg ha-1 and minimum was noted in control. Similarly, the concentration of micronutrients in soil at silking stage were increased significantly with applied humic acid. The maximum concentration of Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and B were found in plot treated with humic acid at the rate of 12 kg ha-1 and minimum was found in control. The micronutrients concentration in soil at harvesting stage was significantly enhanced with the applied humic acid. The maximum concentration of Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and B were observed in the treatment plot treated with humic acid at the rate of 12 kg ha-1and minimum was observed in control. Results also showed that the total uptake of micronutrients also increased significantly with applied humic acid. The maximum uptake of Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and B was recorded in plot treated with humic acid at the rate of 12 kg ha-1 and minimum was recorded in control. Results suggested that the applied humic acid has the potential to enhanced the availability of micronutrients which improved the growth response and yield of spring maize. Results further showed that the application of humic acid along with micronutrients and NPK had a positive impact on the yield and yield attributes and enhanced the availability of micronutrients and in turn significantly increased the growth response of spring maize crop varieties but the growth and micronutrients accumulation response of ‘Azam” was found better than ‘Jalal” variety under the conditions of the experiment.

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