Effect of Nano-Urea on Quality Attributes of Fodder Maize (Zea mays L.)

A field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season of 2022 at the Agronomy Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, SKUAST-Kashmir, to evaluate the effect of nano-urea on the quality attributes of fodder maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was laid out in an RCBD design with three replications comprising eight nitrogen management treatments involving different combinations of the recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) and foliar application of nano–urea. The results revealed that nitrogen management practices significantly influenced the quality parameters of fodder maize. Application of 50% RDN supplemented with nano-urea spray @ 6 ml L⁻¹ at 20 and 40 DAS (T₅) recorded the highest nitrogen content (1.41%) and crude protein content (8.60%). Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) were significantly affected by the treatments, with the lowest values recorded under the recommended nitrogen dose (120 kg N ha⁻¹). However, ash content remained statistically unaffected by the treatments and ranged from 8.14 to 8.67%. The findings suggest that foliar application of nano–urea in combination with reduced conventional nitrogen fertilisation enhances nitrogen accumulation and crude protein content in fodder maize.