Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, productivity and economics of hybrid maize in Odisha state

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season (June to September) of 2013 and 2014 at research farm of Regional Research and Technology Transfer Sub-station, Kirei, Sundergarh, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology of Odisha, India which is located in the geographic parallels of 22⁰ 4^’ N and 84⁰ 2’ E. The objective of the experiment is to find out the most efficient and economic combination of different organic and inorganic sources of nutrients to increase the growth, productivity and economics of hybrid maize without deteriorating the soil qualities. The experiment comprised of eight treatments, namely 100% Recommended dose of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O, 75% Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) nitrogen+25% N through vermicompost, 75% RDF nitrogen+25% N through mustard oil cake, 75% RDF nitrogen+25% N through Farmyard manure, 50% RDF nitrogen+50% N through vermicompost, 50% RDF nitrogen+50% N through mustard oil cake, 50% RDF nitrogen+50% N through Farmyard manure, Control (no manure no nitrogen). Integrated application of 75% Recommended DFN+25% N through vermicompost resulted significantly highest plant height (220.8 cm) at harvest, highest leaf area index (5.15) at 60 days after sowing, dry matter accumulation at harvest (1745 g m⁻²), number of grains cob⁻¹ (466.49), Grain weight cob⁻¹ (102.67), test weight (220.30 g 1000 grain⁻¹), length of cob (24.25 cm), girth of cob (18.01 cm), number of cobs plant⁻¹ (1.07), maize grain yield of 6.79 t ha⁻¹, Stover yield (10.95 t ha⁻¹), harvest index (0.39), gross return (` 88, 318 ha<sup>−1</sup>), net return (` 52, 099 ha⁻¹), return rupee⁻¹ invested (` 2.44).