Dry Matter and Nutrient Uptake of Maize-sesame Cropping System as Influenced by Plant Stand and Nitrogen Management Strategies

Abstract

Maize is an important cereal crop, influenced by plant stand and nitrogen management strategy to a greater extent. This study evaluates the impact of different plant stand densities and nitrogen management strategies on dry matter accumulation and nutrient uptake patterns in a maize-sesame cropping system, aiming to optimise productivity and resource use efficiency. The field experiment was conducted during the “rabi” and “summer” seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24 at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyal, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Andhra Pradesh, India. The study was performed with a “split-plot design” with two replications. Among the different plant stands in maize, higher dry matter production was recorded at plant stand P1 (1,11,111 plants ha-1), which was in parity with P2 (83,333 plants ha-1), but the effect of plant stand on succeeding crop sesamum was found to be non-significant. With regard to nitrogen management strategies, maximum dry matter production and nutrient uptake in maize were recorded with application of nitrogen based on Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (N4), which was significantly superior to application of nitrogen based on SPAD (N3). Residual effect of fertilizers and its impact on dry matter production and nutrient uptake of sesame was found to be higher with N5 (NDVI based N application) The next best treatment was RDF (N1), which was however comparable with application of nitrogen based on NDVI (N4) and SPAD (N3) and the lower dry matter production and nutrient uptake was with the control in maize-sesame cropping system.