TITLE:
Effect of Different Levels of Nitrogen and Phosphorus on the Phenology and Yield of Maize Varieties
AUTHORS:
Fahad Khan, Sehrish Khan, Shah Fahad, Shah Faisal, Saddam Hussain, Saqib Ali, Ashfaq Ali
KEYWORDS:
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Maize Cultivars, Phenology, Yield
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.5 No.17,
July
31,
2014
ABSTRACT:
An experiment was conducted at Malakabad (Gadera) Dargai Malak and KPK to
study the effect of different levels of nitrogen and phosphorus on the yield
of maize varieties in randomize complete block design with split plot
arrangement. Different fertilization treatments (0:0, 100:0, 100:50, 100:100,
150:0, 150:50, 150:100, 150:150 N:P kg·ha-1) were assigned to main plot while, maize varieties
(Azam, Jalal and local) were kept in sub-plots. Data regarding emergence m-2, days to emergence, days to tasseling, days to
silking, number of cobs plant-1, plant height, grains cob-1, 1000-grain weight and grain yield were recorded.
Emergence m-2, days to emergence, days to tasseling, days to
silking, plant ha-1 at harvest were not significantly affected by
different levels of nitrogen and phosphorus while number of cob plant-1, thousand grains weight, plant height, grains cob-1 and grain yield were significantly affected.
Maximum grain yield (5356 kg·ha-1) was recorded in Jalal variety, when it was
fertilized with 150:100 N:P kg·ha-1. Of the factors included in this study, maize
cultivars and NP fertilization treatments were dominant in determining grain
yield as well as its related components, suggesting that cultivar selection and
optimum fertilization are effective strategies to improve grain yield. However,
multiplication and multi-year studies are required to test these results using
different cultivars under varying edaphic and climatic conditions.