Evaluation of Different Composts Composition on the Yield and Yield Components of Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Organic amendment like compost application can improve soil quality and enhance crop production in agricultural system. Two years field trials were carried out during 2011-12 at New Developmental Farm of the University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan. Thirteen compost treatments including control as main plot treatment and two fert-N levels (0 and 75 kg N ha -1 ) as subplot treatments were used. Compost materials i.e. farmyard manure (FYM), cereal residue (CR) and legume residue (LR) were composted as sole or in various combinations six weeks before sowing and then were incorporated to plots at sowing both the years. All treatments including control were either supplemented with half of the recommended dose (75 kg N ha -1 ) of Urea-N or no Urea-N. Compost, its composition, mineral N and their interactions significantly affected maize yield and yield components over two years average data. Compost application produced more maize ears m -2 (13%), grains ear -1 (28%), 1000 grains weight (14%), biological yield (56%), grain yield (65%) and harvest index (5%) over control. Among varying composition composts, higher grains ear -1 (274), 1000 grains weight (270.7g), biological yield (16151 kg ha -1 ) and grain yield (4803 kg ha -1 ) were observed for 100% FYM compost. Higher grains ear -1 (245), 1000 grains weight (255.3 g), biological yield (13374 kg ha -1 ), grain yield (3949 kg ha -1 ) and harvest index (29.5%) were recorded for added fert-N. Significantly more ears m -2 (8%), grains ear -1 (8%), 1000 grains weight (8%), biologically yield (14%), grain yield (26%) and harvest index (10%) were obtained in the following year over 1 st year. Maize performance linearly increased with increase in FYM (25 to 75%). Compost application with or without fert-N, enhanced maize productivity, in a more productive and sustainable way. FYM as composting material is superior over legume and cereal residue.

Response of maize (Zea mays L.) ikenne variety to application of household urban solid wastes compost

“…Similar results were reported by Coulibaly et al (2019) who stated that the tallest growth parameters of maize were obtained with compost of pig. Our results stand in harmony with those found by Muhammad and Jan (2016) who revealed that compost amendment enhanced maize crop yield and yield components with or without fertilizer-N. Although, variations in growth parameters of maize due to treatments were observed, the plant height, stem girth and leaf area of plants from plots treated with compost at doses of 10 t ha -1 and 20 t ha -1 were statistically at par with plots treated with mineral fertilizers (Table 1).…”

“…Thousand grains weight constitutes a significant factor in economic yield determination (Muhammad and Jan, 2016). The mean maize thousand grains weight from our trials experimental was significantly affected by application of compost and mineral fertilizers in comparison with control.…”

“…Based on previous studies, one possibility to restore these soils is the use of compost to increase organic matter that could reduce the process of degradation, raise the potential crop production and allow a conservative agriculture. In fact, recent previous studies shown growth and yield response of maize (Zea mays L.) to variable doses of various composts (Laekemariam and Gidago, 2013;Muhammad and Jan, 2016;Coulibaly et al, 2019). Compost efficacy on agricultural productivity increase was widely demonstrated, but little is known about its influence on maize productivity in coastal zone of Togo.…”

Performance of heat resilient maize hybrids to different levels of fertilizers in Tungabhadra Project command area

“…The nitrogen has increased effect on number of grains per cob, weight of grain and yield in different maize hybrids. Muhammad et al (2018) observed that application of potassium had significantly (P≤0.05) affected on the crop phenology growth (plant height) and yield traits, biological and yield of maize. The physiological traits like leaves number, length of leaf and width, and dry matter production of the plant increases with increased fertilizer levels (Mousavi et al, 2019;Barker, 2012;Gao et al, 2020;Pepó and Karancsi, 2017;Hejazi et al, 2013).…”

Association Analysis over Seasons among Morphological, Physiological and Yield Components with Kernel Yield in Maize (Zea mays L.)

“…Knowledge of interrelationships between kernel yield and its contributing components significantly improves the efficiency of breeding programs through the use of appropriate selection indices [7], (Dan Singh et al,2017).Correlation measures the degree of association: genetic or non-genetic between two or more characters and is measured by a correlation coefficient [8]. Phenotypic correlation involves both genetic and environmental effects, whereas genotypic correlation is the association of breeding values of the two characters [9,10,11]. Both measure the extent to which degree the same genes or closely linked genes cause co-variation in two different characters [12].…”