Performance of quality protein maize (QPM) on quality, yield and yield components as influenced by nutrient management

A field experiment was carried out at College Farm, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad to find out the response of quality protein maize hybrid (HQPM-1) to various N and P levels was studied at during kharif 2012. Experiment with four nitrogen levels (0, 120, 180 and 240 kg N ha⁻¹) and four phosphorus levels (0, 60, 80 and 100 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹) were laid out in randomized block design with three replications having a plot size of 6m × 5m with plant spacing of 60 × 20 cm. Results showed that application of 240 kg N ha⁻¹ gave maximum cob length (17.50 cm), cob girth (13.91 cm), number of grains cob⁻¹(324), test weight (31.48 g), grain yield (6383 kg ha⁻¹), stover yield (7050 kg ha⁻¹), harvest index (47.5%) and protein content (11.35%) followed by 180, 120 kg N ha⁻¹ and control. Similarly, 100 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ resulted significantly more cob length (16.25 cm), cob girth (12.99 cm), number of grains cob⁻¹(290), test weight (29.34 g), grain yield (5010 kg ha⁻¹), stover yield (5562 kg ha⁻¹), harvest index (47.3%) and protein content (11.06%) followed by lower levels of phosphorus. Hence N and P can be applied at the rate of 240 kg ha⁻¹ and 100 kg ha⁻¹ to obtain higher yield.