P.V. RAMESH BABU*, Ch. PULLA RAO, R. VEERARAGHAVAIAH, M. SRINIVAS REDDY, U. VIJAYA BHASKAR REDDY AND G. VIJAY KUMAR

Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy, Agricultural College, Mahanandi

ABSTRACT

Field experiments were conducted on sandy clay loam soils of Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla during 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 to study the production potential and economics of maize as influenced by different levels of nitrogen, phosphorus applied to kharif rice and fertilizer schedules given to maize during rabi under zero tilled condition. The treatments consisted of four nitrogen levels i.e. green manuring @5 t ha-1, 80 kg N ha-1, 120 kg N ha-1, 240 kg N ha-1, three phosphorus levels i.e. 0, 30 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 to preceding rice and three fertilizer schedules i.e. 0, 50 and 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) to succeeding maize. Application of 240 kg N ha-1 in combination with 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 to preceding rice and 100% RDF to maize significantly increased the yield attributes, grain yield, straw yield and monetary returns of maize over other levels of nitrogen, phosphorus applied to rice during kharif and fertilizer schedules given to zero tilled maize during rabi season.

KEYWORDS:

Rice–maize, grain yield, straw yield, economics and zero tillage.