Impact of Manures and Nitrogen Levels on Growth and Productivity of Spring Maize (Zea mays L.)

Field experiment was conducted at the Regional Research Station of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Karnal during 2016 and 2017 to evaluate the effect of manures and nitrogen levels on growth phenology, growth, and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) The experiment was laid out in a split plot design, keeping four organic manures applications as main and six fertilizers levels as sub treatment. Based on two years pooled data, different levels of manures and fertilizers levels had significant effect on various phenophases. Higher values of plant height, leaf area, leaf area index, and cob yield (with and without husk) were with the application of PM @ 7.5 t ha^-1 and VM (@ 7.5 t ha^-1 over FYM @ 15 t ha^-1 and No-OM treated plots. The increase in cob yield (with and without husk) of maize with application of PM @ 7.5 t ha^-1 over FYM @ 15 t ha^-1 was 8.7 and 7.9%, respectively. Among the fertility levels, application of 100% RDF was at par with 75% RDF and 180 kg Nha^-1 + 30 kg P₂ O₅ ha^-1 with significantly higher plant height, leaf area, leaf area index and higher cob yield with and without husk over rest of the treatments.