Effects of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Soil Properties, Nutrient Dynamics, and Maize Yield (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during the winter seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23 at the Zonal Agriculture Research Station at Chhindwara. The objective of the experiment was to investigate the impact of various organic and inorganic fertilizers on the nutrient content (N, P, K & Zn), uptake and yield of maize. The experiment was structured using a randomized block design, incorporating ten treatments and three replications. The treatments were, T1 - Control (0:0:0), T2 - 100% RDF (120:60:40 kg NPK ha-1), T3 - 75% RDF, T4 - 50 % RDF, T5 - FYM 10 t ha-1 + Azotobacter, T6 - 100 % RDF + 5 t ha-1 FYM, T7 - 75 % RDF + 5 t ha-1 FYM, T8 - 50 % RDF + 5 t ha-1 FYM, T9 - 100 % RDF + 5 kg Zn ha-1 and T10 - FYM 5 t ha-1 (State practice). The result revealed that the application of 100 % RDF + 5 t ha-1 FYM (T6) recorded higher values of soil chemical properties viz., pH (7.167), EC (0.329), OC (0.350), available nitrogen (340.50), phosphorus (15.92) and potassium (320.26), nitrogen content in grain (1.638) and stover (0.482), phosphorus content in grain (0.407) and stover (0.040), potassium content in grain (0.554) and stover (1.636), nitrogen uptake (196.347), phosphorus uptake (36.107), potassium uptake (275.869), Zn content in grain (30.460 ppm) and stover (21.242 ppm), grain yield (7957.53 kg ha-1) and stover yield (14473.65 kg ha-1).