Timing of Nitrogen Treatment in Maize (Zea mays L.) Produced in Punjab’s Coarse Loamy Typic Haplustept Soil being Evaluated

Abstract

Field experiments were performed at the Soil Science research farm of Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, during the kharif season of 2022 and 2023. This experiment primary goal was to understand, biomass and nitrogen uptake pattern of maize (Zea mays L.)  grown   in coarse loamy Typic Haplustept soil. The experiment farm is located at latitude at 31°14’30.5’’N and longitude 75°41'52.1” E. The field trial was conducted in randomized block design with three replications in non-saline alkaline soil. Their wore two treatments: the recommended dose of fertilizer N @ 125 kg ha-1, P2O5 @ 60 kg ha-1, K2O @ 30 kg ha-1 was tested against the no fertilizer control. The PAU maize variety PMH-13 was sowing in kharif season of 2022 and 2023.The plant attribute data was collected at 3 days of interval starting after 23 days of sowing till maturity. Data on plant height, dry matter weight and total nitrogen was recorded for the plant sample after the plant achieved 3 leaves stage. The perusal of plant height data indicated for clear cut stages of maize growth at 42, 56, 65 and 89 days of sowing. However, the differences in growth stages are not clearly decipherable in dry weight in total nitrogen data. So, plant growth stage at 42 days is almost near to the knee-high stage and 65 days stage is near to the tasseling stage of the maize. These two stages match with the already recommended dose of nitrogen fertilizer. Plant height data indicate two more growth stages of maize at 56 and 89 days. So, for improving maize productivity and increasing fertilizer urea efficiency it is suggested that nitrogen fertilizer dose should be further splits to four top dressing application. However further field trials in different agro-climatic reigns are necessary for any final recommendation to the farmer.