Productivity of Maize in Long-Term Integrated Nutrient Management Modules in a Typic Hapludalf of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

Current study was carried out during kharif 2020 and kharif 2021 in an ongoing long-term fertilizer experiment on soil test crop response correlation studies (STCR), initiated in kharif 2007, at the Experimental farm of Department of Soil Science, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur (Himachal Pradesh), to evaluate the effect of different fertilizer application approaches on maize productivity (Zea mays L.). In this study, eight nutrient management modules, consisting STCR based NPK fertilizer application with and without FYM, general recommended dose (GRD), soil test-based (STB) NPK application and farmers’ practice, were studied. The results revealed a significant difference in maize grain yield among different fertilizer application approaches. Application of chemical fertilizers for the targeted yield of 40 q ha^-1 recorded significantly higher maize grain and stover yield than conventional GRD and STB fertilizer application during both the years. Integration of farmyard manure with chemical fertilizers for the targeted yield of 30 and 40 q ha^-1 increased the maize grain yield by 9.2-11.3 and 8.5-8.8 per cent over the sole application of chemical fertilizers for targeted yields, respectively. The study concluded that the target yield based application of chemical fertilizers with FYM is superior to the target yield based sole chemical fertilizers application, farmers’ practice, general recommended dose and soil test-based fertilizer application.