Effect of integrated nutrient management practices on growth and development behaviour of hybrid maize in mid hills of Meghalaya

Afield experiment was conducted during kharif 2011 on experimental farm of the College of Post Graduate Studies (CAU, Imphal), Umiam (Meghalaya) to evaluate the effect of integration of green manuring, FYM and fertilizers as integrated nutrient management (INM) practices on growth and developmental behaviour of quality protein maize cultivar QPM1. The data revealed that comparatively higher amount of primary nutrients were added in green manured maize plots in comparison to non green manured treatments. Green manuring also left a positive response on plant height, CGR, RGRleaf area, and dry matter accumulation in plants though the difference between green manured and non-green manured treatments was at par. Treatments 75 % RDF + 5 t -1-1-1FYM ha, 50 % RDF + 7.5 t FYM ha, 100 % RDF haand 75 % RDF + 2.5 t FYM harecorded -1significantly higher values of all the above said growth parameters over 50 % RDF + 5 t FYM haand control treatments. At all stages of observations, the maximum dry matter was associated with RDF -1(recommended doses of fertilizers) which was at par with 75 % RDF + 5 t FYM ha, but significantly higher over the plant dry weight recorded from all remaining treatments. ASignificant difference in CGRat 30 – 60 and 60 – 90 DAS stage and in RGRat 90 DAS - harvest stage was observed due to various combinations of recommended dose of fertilizer with different doses of FYM. Number of days taken to attain the stages of 50% tasselling, silking and maturity did not differ significantly -1due to green manuring. However, treatment 75 % RDF + 5 t FYM hatook significantly lesser number of days for these stages than other treatment combinations. The superiority of the -1treatment 75 % RDF + 5 t FYM haindicated a possibility of substituting 25% of RDF with 5 t FYM -1hawithout any loss in dry matter accumulation in plants of the quality protein hybrid maize in mid-hill ecosystems of Meghalaya