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Pak. J. Bot., 47(SI): 289-292, 2015.

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RESPONSE OF MAIZE CULTIVARS TO PHOSPHORUS AND ZINC NUTRITION

SHAHEN SHAH^1*, GHUFRAN GHANI¹, HAMAYOON KHAN¹, MUHAMMAD ARIF¹,

ABDUL QAHAR¹, INAMULLAH¹, ASAD ALI² AND MUSHARAF AHMAD²

¹Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Peshawar, 25130 Pakistan

 ²Department of Plant Pathology, University of Agriculture, Peshawar, 25130 Pakistan

*Corresponding author’s e-mail: shahenshah@aup.edu.pk; Tel: +92-3334484141; Fax: +92-9216520

Abstract: Phosphorous (P) and Zinc (Zn) fertilization play a key role in the productivity of crops. To study their effects on the maize yield and growth, an experiment was conducted at the University of Agriculture Peshawar, during 2011. Four levels of P (0, 60, 90, 120 kg ha^-1) and Zn (0, 5, 10, 15 kg ha^-1) each were used for maize cultivars ‘Azam’ and ‘Jalal’. Combinations of variety (V) and P were allotted to main plot and Zn to subplot using randomized block design with split plot arrangements. Maize variety ‘Jalal’ was significantly responsive in the yield as compared to ‘Azam’. Similarly, days to tasseling and silking, leaf area plant^-1 (LA), leaf area index (LAI), ear weight, thousand grains weight, grain yield (GY) and harvest index (HI) were significantly affected by P and Zn. Early tasseling (48.6), silking (54.4), higher LA (4545 cm²), LAI (2.9), ear weight (172.9 g), thousand grains weight (267 g), GY (5958 kg ha^-1) and HI (37.4%) were exhibited by 120 kg ha^-1 P treated plots. Plots with 15 kg ha^-1 Zn showed significantly early tasseling (49.3), silking (55.3), more LA (4347 cm²), LAI (2.8), ear weight (157.3g), thousand-grains weight (242.9g), GY (5099 kg ha^-1) and HI (35.39%). It was concluded from the study that increase in the P and Zn rates improved most of the studied parameter, however in case of yield and yield components, significantly maximum response was given by both cultivars at 90 kg ha^-1 P and 10 kg ha^-1 Zn than their lower rates and found non-significant as compared with their upper limits under study. 

Keywords: Cultivars, Maize, Phosphorus, Yield, Zinc