Productivity, profitability and nutrient uptake of maize (Zea mays) as influenced by management practices in North-East India

A field experiment was conducted during the 2 winter (rabi) seasons of 2010–11 and 2011–12 at Jharnapani, Medziphema, Nagaland, to evaluate the best management practices, i.e. mulching, liming and farmyard manures for maximizing the productivity, profitability, nutrient uptake and quality of winter maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was laid out in a split-split plot design, having 24 treatment combinations of mulching and lime along with farmyard manures and replicated thrice. Application of straw mulches significantly increased all the growth and yield attributes, grain yield, protein content and nutrient uptake by maize. Among the levels of lime, higher grain yield (3.91 t/ha) and stover yield (4.24 t/ha) were noted with application of lime @ 0.6 t/ha. Similarly, significantly higher grain (3.79 t/ha) and stover yields (4.17 t/ha), nutrient uptake, protein yield of maize were recorded with application of farmyard manures @ 12 t/ha. Application of straw mulch along with 0.6 t/ha lime and FYM @ 12 t/ha recorded markedly higher total rainfall and effective rainfall use efficiency. Hence, straw mulching with 0.6 t/ha furrows lime and 12 t FYM/ha should be adopted to obtain the maximum grain yield, net profit and nutrient uptake by winter maize.