Production Potential And Economics Of Maize (zea Mays L.) As Influenced By Different Nutrient Levels Under Zero Tilled Condition In Rice – Maize Cropping Sequence

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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.

INTRODUCTION

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important cereal grain crop next to rice and wheat and has highest production potential among the cereals. It is cultivated in India over 8.71 million ha with 22.06 million tonnes production having an average productivity of 2556 kg ha-1 and contributing to nearly 8 per cent in the national food basket (ASG, 2014). In Andhra Pradesh, maize is cultivated in an area of 1.2 lakh. ha with a production of 4.97 lakh. tonnes with an average yield of 4673 kg ha-1 (ASG, 2014).

In recent years, rice – maize sequence has gained importance in place of rice – blackgram sequence in the Krishna and Godavari agro-climatic zones of Andhra Pradesh due to late release of canal water and severe weed and disease problems particularly, seven yellow vein mosaic virus incidence in rice – fallow blackgram. Rice fallow maize under zero-tillage is being practiced by grain, dairy, poultry, and vegetable farmers and accepted as a beneficial cropping system with large and small operations. Growers adopt this system to increase their efficiency and profitability, and to improve their environmental stewardship. Keeping this in view, the present investigation was carried out to know the suitable fertilizer schedule to improve the yield attributes, yield as well as economics and also to know the residual effect of different levels of nutrients on the performance of maize in rice based cropping sequence under zero tilled conditions.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Field experiments were conducted on maize (Zea mays L.) in rice based maize cropping system during 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 at Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla with three fertilizer schedules i.e. 0, 50 and 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) to rabi maize and four levels of nitrogen i.e. 80 kg N ha-1, 120 kg N ha-1,

240 kg N ha-1, green manuring @5 t ha-1, three levels of phosphorus i.e. 0, 30 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 given to preceding kharif rice. The experiment was carried out in randomized block design with factorial concept and replicated thrice. Maize hybrid 30 V 92 was used for the study. The experimental soil was sandy clay loam having a pH of 8.2, low in available nitrogen (176 kg ha-1), and high in phosphorus (39 kg ha-1) in available potassium (551 kg ha-1). A total rainfall of 37.6 mm and 2.01 mm was received during growing period of the seasons in 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively. The data were collected on five randomly selected plants in each plot in each season and the data are subjected for statistically analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

YIELD ATTRIBUTES

The yield attributes (Table. 1 and 2) such as cobs per plant, cob length, grains per cob and test weight significantly influenced by levels of nitrogen and phosphorus applied to kharif rice and fertilizer schedules applied to maize crop during rabi season.

All the yield attributes increased significantly with increase in the level of nitrogen application from 80 to
240 kg N ha-1, but the green manure incorporation recorded significantly higher yield attributes over 80 kg N ha-1 treatment except number of grains per cob (between N80 and N120) and test weight (between N80 and N120) during both the years of the study. With each increment in phosphorus application significantly increased all yield attributes of maize during both the years of study, except number of grains per cob during first year of study, similarly with each increment in fertilizer schedules from 0 to 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer, there was a progressive and significant increase in all the yield attributes during both the years of the study except number of grains per cob. The increase in yield attributes such as cobs per plant, cob length and test weight might be due to enhancement in growth attributes which lead to photosynthates partitioning and better source –sink relationship due to increased levels of N, P and fertilizer schedules. Kumar et al., (2014) also reported similar findings in maize.

YIELD

The rate of increase in grain yield of succeeding maize crop following application of 240 kg N ha-1 and 120 kg N ha-1 over 80 kg N ha-1 was 61.8 %, 53.6% and 45.1%, 38.1% during 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively. An increase of 15.3% and 10.1% in grain yield was observed due to green manuring during first and second year of study, respectively. This might be due to the beneficial effect of organic manure, which plays an important role in enhancing efficient utilization of native as well as applied nutrients through matching nutrient availability with the crop demand to exhibit higher crop productivity.

There was a progressive and significant increase in grain yield due to increasing levels of phosphorus from 0 to 60 kg P2O5 and fertility schedules from 0 to 100% recommended dose of fertilizers. The increase in grain yield due to 60 and 30 kg P2O5 ha-1 over control was 29.2%, 21.2%, while an increase of 19.1%, 12.4% was observed in grain yield due to application of 100% and 50% RDF over control.

Application of increased levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and fertilizer schedules i.e. 0, 50 and 100% recommended dose of fertilizers brought about significant increase in grain yield in maize during both the years of experimentation. It might be due to the beneficial effect of higher level of nitrogen, phosphorus and fertilizer schedules on growth and development by way of increased yield attributes thus, registering the higher grain yield. The present findings collaborate with the earlier reports of Mahala et al, (2006) and Lingaraju et al. (2010). Similarly, the stover yield of maize followed the same trend as that was noticed in respect of grain yield of maize.

ECONOMICS

Gross returns, net returns and rupee return per rupee invested were worked out for different levels of nitrogen, phosphorus for preceding kharif rice and fertilizer schedules for maize in rice fallow maize cropping sequence (Table 3).

Among the different nitrogen levels applied to rice during kharif, application of 240 kg N ha-1 recorded the maximum gross returns and net returns of Rs. 218820/-, Rs. 196350/- respectively and rupee return per rupee investment of 1.11 during first year and Rs. 218798/-, Rs. 196262/- respectively and 1.11 during the second year. The highest gross returns, net returns and rupee return per rupee invested were the with application of phosphorus @ 60 kg P2O5 ha-1. This treatment was closely followed by application of 30 kg P2O5 ha-1. Hence, the present investigation revealed that through the application of 240 kg N ha-1in combination with 60 kg P2O5 ha-1recorded the maximum gross returns, net returns and rupee return per rupee investment, but it was at par with the application of 240 kg N ha-1 in combination with 30 kg P2O5 ha-1 for rice crop, which seems to be more economical than that of 240 kg N ha-1in combination with

60 kg P2O5 ha-1. Similar results were reported by Reddy Ramu, (2005).

However, maximum net returns were recorded with 240 kg N ha-1, 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 and 100% recommended dose of fertilizer during both the years of experimentation in rice fallow maize crop sequence. This might be due to

application higher levels of nitrogen and phosphorus increased the grain yield there by increased the gross returns and net returns. The present findings collaborate with the findings of Sivalakshmi and Sambasiva Reddy (2006) and Thakur and Vinod Sharma (1999).

The present investigation revealed that application of 240 kg N ha-1 in combination with 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 applied to kharif rice and 100 % recommended dose of fertilizer given to rabi maize resulted in higher grain yield, maximum gross returns and net returns of maize in rice fallow maize cropping sequence during both the years.

REFERENCES

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