Effects of Manures and Fertilizers on the Grain Production of Maize in Rotation with Cowpea in an Acid Soil [printed text] / Adhikary, Bishnu H., Author ; B. C. Gauli, Author ; B. B. BC, Author . - 2001.
In: Proc. Of an International Maize Symposium. Pp.160-162. Sustainable Maize Production Systems for Nepal.Organized by CIMMYT and NARC, held December 3-5, 2001, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Languages : English (eng)

Abstract:

A field experiment on maize (Zea mays) was conducted during the years 1998-1999 in an acid soil (pH 3.9-4.3) of the Agricultural Research Station (Horticulture) Malepatan, Pokhara to evaluate the effects of manures and fertilizers on the production of maize. Different doses of fertilizers (NPK) and compost were applied. The cowpea crop was also planted as a rotation crop which was also fertilized with the given level of fertilizers and manures. The results obtained from the two years study indicated that a maximum of 18.1 t/ha of maize biomass could be produced, when the crop was fertilized with 20 t/ha of compost applied along with 100:75:40 kg N, P2O5 and K2O, which was almost 3 times that produced by non-treated crops. The maize biomass was observed to be lower (10.4 t/ha) than all the treated plots when it was fertilized only with chemical-nitrogen at 100 kg/ha. The pattern of production of maize grain was similar to that of biomass production. The two year mean results revealed that4.65 t/ha of grain were produced when the crop was fertilized with 20 t/ha of compost plus 100:75: 40 kg N,P2O5 and K2O/ha,whereas the non-treated crop produced a grain yield of 1.85 t/ha. The biomass and grain yield of maize were found to be higher in the second year because of the introduction of a cowpea crop in the crop rotation.