Responses of maize to different levels and sources of phosphorus application

Abstract

Improper phosphorus management is a major factor contributing to low yield. An experiment comprising four levels (90, 120, 150, and 180 kg ha^-1) and three sources of phosphorus (SSP, DAP, NP) was designed with the purpose to identified the best phosphorus level and source to gain higher yield of maize. The experiment was conducted at agriculture research farm Plato of The University of Agriculture Amir Muhammad Khan Campus Mardan during summer 2016 by using RCBD design replicated three times. The result indicated that phosphorus sources and control vs. rest influenced significantly (P<0.05) on plant height (200.2cm), biological yield (12556.3 kgha^-1), grain yield (3481kgha^-1), thousand grain weight (231.7g), harvest index (32.2 %) while had no significant effects on grain rows ear^-1(14.3).  DAP (46% P) source increase number of ear plant^-1(1.5), plant height (5.4m^-2), biological yield (12556.3 kgha^-1), grain yield (3481kgha^-1), thousand grain weight (231.7g) and harvest index (32.2 %). It is concluded that the application DAP source produces maximum yield of maize crop.

Keywords: Zea mays L.; Phosphorus; plant height; 1000 grain weight; Grain yield

http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2017.600109