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OPTIMIZATION OF METHOD AND TIME OF NITROGEN APPLICATION FOR INCREASED NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY AND YIELD IN MAIZE

FEROZE AKBAR, ABDUL WAHlD*, SHAMSHAD AKHTAR*, ABID NISAR AHMAD* AND FATEH MUHAMMAD CHAUDHARY

Abstract: Nitrogen application at 3 different times using 2 methods was used for increasing nitrogen use efficiency of maize in terms of above ground dry matter and grain yield. Side-drilling with 245 g N/plot at sowing and 123 g N/plot soil-dressed at silking significantly improved the vegetative and reproductive growth of maize except number of grains per cob and harvest index. Nitrogen use efficiency in above ground dry matter yield was positively related to plant height, cob length and above ground dry matter, whereas, nitrogen use efficiency in grain yield showed positive relationship with cob bearing plants per plot, 1000 grain weight and total grain yield per plot. An increase in the above parameters was generally due to all nitrogen treatments but specifically due to the. side-drilling of nitrogen at sowing followed by its soil-dressing at silking. Effectiveness of 245 g N/plot side-drilled at sowing led in the gradual release of nitrogen to the field during vegetative growth, while 123 g N/plot soil-dressed at silking proved an additional source for higher rate of photosynthesis and transport of photo-assimilates during grain filling. These properties were present to a lesser degree in other treatments.

Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan.
Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan.