Assessing of Residual Legume Effect on Growth and Yield Parameters of rabi Maize under Irrigated Conditions

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the residual influence of preceding legumes and nitrogen levels on growth and yield parameters of rabi maize at Maize Research Centre, AgriculturalResearch Institute, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, during kharif and rabi of 2021 and 2022. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with 18 treatments consisted of C1N1: groundnut100% RDN- maize, C1N2: groundnut75% RDN- maize, C2N1: soybean100% RDN- maize, C2N2: soybean75% RDN- maize, C3N1: greengram100% : greengram100% RDN- maize, C3N2: greengram75% RDN- maize as main-plots and 3 subplots viz.100% RDN, 125% RDN, 150% RDN (kharif and rabi respectively) during twoyears of study. Among the different cropping systems, the preceding kharif greengram with 100% RDN on rabi zero-till maize showed higher growth interms i.e. plant height, leaf area, leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD reading) at 30 DAS, cob length, cob girth and yield in both years. However, with respect to nitrogen levels, application of 150% RDN to rabi maize showed significantly higher growth and yield followed by 125% RDN and lowest was seen in 100% RDN in rabi respectively. On the other hand, the interaction effect with the preceding legume residues on succeeding rabi maize with addition of varied nitrogen levels was found non-significant in 2021-22 and 2022-23.