1Department of Soil Science & Agril. Chemistry, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, BHU, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
2Department of Agronomy, Nagaland University, SASRD, Medziphema campus, Nagaland
3Maharastra Hybrid Seeds Co. Ltd., Jalna-Aurangabad Road, At Dawalwadi, Badnapur Tq., Maharastra
*Email: amitavar@bhu.ac.in
A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate phosphorus (P)-use efficiency of 8 promising genotypes of maize (Zea mays L.) with short and normal growth duration. The genotypes were grown in an inceptisol at 25 mg P kg−1 (low P) and 100 mg P kg−1 (high P) of soil. Shoot and root dry weight, root length, P concentration in the shoot, and P uptake in the shoot were significantly (P<0.01) affected by soil P concentration and genotype. However, P level did not effect root length and genotype had no effect on root dry weight. On the basis of P-use efficiency (mg dry weight of shoot/mg P accumulated in the shoot) genotypes were classified as efficient, nonefficient, responsive and nonresponsive. From the results it is pertinent that Pragati, Vikram MRM3845, MRM3838 and MRM3842 fall in to efficient and responsive genotype, Kuwari be grouped as non efficient and responsive and HQPM and Agati-76 can be classified as non efficient and nonresponsive genotype. There were no differences between short and normal growth duration genotypes in P-use efficiency.
Maize, Genotypes, P-use efficiency, efficient, nonefficient, responsive, nonresponsive
