EFFECT OF FARMYARD MANURE AND NPK ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) CROP

Abstract

The present research was carried out to examine the effect of Farmyard Manure and NPK on the growth and yield of Maize (Zea mays L.) crop. The experimental trial was layedout at the Students’ Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam. The experiment was layedout with three replications, in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), Experimental area Net plot size 4 m x 5 m (20 m²). For this experiment Akbar variety was used and treatment combinations viz: T₁ = Control, T₂ = 20-30-30 NPK kg ha^-1 + 10 (FYM) tons ha^-1, T₃ = 30-40-35 NPK kg ha^-1 + 15 (FYM) tons ha^-1, T₄ = 40-50-40 NPK kg ha^-1 + 20 (FYM) tons ha^-1 and T₅ = 50-60-45 NPK kg ha^-1 + 25 (FYM) tons ha^-1. The maximum result was recorded in T₅ = 50-60-45 NPK kg ha^-1 + 25 (FYM) tons ha^-1 in seed germination (18.66%), plant height (188.2cm), number of green leaves plant^{-1 (}18.33), Number of internodes plant^-1 (22.33), Cob Length (25.4cm), Grains Cob^-1 (383.6), Seed index 1000 grain weight (191.47g) and seed yield (7466.7 kg ha^-1). Followed by T₄ = 40-50-40 NPK kg ha^-1 + 20 (FYM) tons ha^-1. Seed germination (16.66%), plant height (182.07cm), number of green leaves plant^{-1 (}15.33), number of internodes plant^-1 (18.33), Cob Length (23.4cm), Grains Cob^-1(348.13), Seed Index 1000 grain weight (181.77g) and Seed Yield (6666.7 kg ha^-1). And the minimum result was recorded in T₁ = Control seed germination (8%), plant height (133.73cm), number of green leaves plant^{-1 (}8.33), Number of internodes plant^-1 (8.33), Cob Length (14.36cm), Grains Cob^-1 (198.53), Seed Index 1000 grain weight (132.73g) and Seed Yield (3766.7 kg ha^-1). It is concluded from the present study that the maize treated with 50-60-45 NPK kg ha^-1 + 25 (FYM) tons ha^-1 was found to be the best treatment as compared to other treatments 40-50-40 NPK kg ha^-1 + 20 (FYM) tons ha^-1. From the present study it was recommended that 50-60-45 NPK kg ha^-1 + 25 (FYM) tons ha^-1 was found to be the best treatment.