Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on the Growth and Yield of Hybrid Maize

Field experiment was conducted at Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar (Tamilnadu) during summer 2016 to study the effect of integrated nutrient management on the growth and yield of hybrid maize. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with four replications. There were altogether five treatments (Nutrient management) viz., T1 - 100% RDF alone, T2 - 100% RDF + Vermicompost @ 2.5 t ha-1, T3 - 100% RDF + Enriched Farmyard Manure @ 750 kg ha-1, T4 - 100% RDF + coir pith Compost @ 5 t ha-1, T5 - 100% RDF + Pressmud Compost @ 5 t ha-1, T6 – 75% RDF alone. The growth and yield components of hybrid maize viz., plant height, leaf area index, dry matter production, cob length, cob diameter and number of grains cob-1, 100 grain weight, grain yield, stover yield and harvest index were favorably influenced with 100% RDF + Pressmud compost @ 5 t ha-1 (T5). It was followed with 100% RDF + Enriched Farmyard manure @ 750 kg ha-1 (T3). The results evidently proved 100% RDF + Press mud compost @ 5 t ha-1 (T5) in hybrid maize will be an appropriate Integrated nutrient management practice for achieving sustainable hybrid maize yield with due to care on soil health, fertility and productivity.