Micro-climatic variations in maize (Zea mays L.) as affected by agronomic interventions and their relationship with biological parameters

The field experiments were conducted to study the microclimatic parameters as affected by the agronomic interventions in kharif and spring season maize at the Students’ Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during 2014–15 and 2015–16. Leaf area index (LAI) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) interception by the crop was significantly higher in minimum tillage than conventional tillage. Application of 75% RDF + 25% N through FYM plus mulch recorded significantly higher LAI, higher PAR interception and lower canopy temperature. Minimum tillage produced 5.1 and 5.9 per cent higher grain yield in kharif maize and 6.2 and 7.2 per cent higher grain yield in spring maize than conventional tillage. The 9.0 and 7.5 per cent higher yield in kharif maize and 4.9 and 6.7 per cent higher yield in spring maize were obtained with application 75% RDF + 25% N through FYM plus mulch over 100% RDF. Grain yield of kharif and spring maize was significantly correlated with dry matter production (r=0.95 and 0.97), plant height (r=0.97 and 0.96) and leaf area index (r= 0.92 and 0.96).