Integrated nutrient management in popcorn

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Main Agricultural Research Station, University of AgriculturalSciences, Dharwad to study the integrated nutrient management in popcorn (Zea mays var. everata) during kharif 2018.The experiment was laid out in split -plot design with three replications consisting of four organic levels as main plot(O1: FYM @ 5 t ha-1, O2: FYM @ 7.5 t ha-1, O3 : VC @ 1.25 t ha-1 and O4 : VC @ 2.5 t ha-1) and three fertilizer levels as subplot (F1: 75 % RDF, F2: 100 % RDF and F3: 125 % RDF) along with one absolute control. The experimental results revealedthat, application of VC @ 2.5 t ha-1 recorded significantly higher total dry matter accumulation (205.91 g plant-1) at harvest,grain yield (3,541kg ha-1)and net returns ( 76,911 ha-1) and found at par with application of FYM @ 7.5 t ha-1 (205.91 g plant-1,3,494 kg ha-1 and 75, 845 ha-1, respectively) compared to other organic levels. Among fertilizer levels, application of125 % RDF recorded significantly higher total dry matter accumulation (207.20 g plant-1) at harvest, grain yield (3,619 kg ha-1)and net returns ( 80,989 ha-1) over other levels. Interaction effect indicated that application of VC @ 2.5 t ha-1 + 125 % RDFrecorded significantly higher total dry matter accumulation (219.20 g plant-1) at harvest, grain yield (4,003 kg ha-1) and netreturns ( 91,824 ha-1) and found at par with application of FYM @ 7.5 t ha-1 + 125 % RDF (216.63 g plant-1, 3,983 kg ha-1and 91,676 ha-1, respectively). Absolute control recorded significantly lowest total dry matter accumulation ( 144 g plant-1),grain yield ( 1,378 kg ha-1) and net returns ( 21,437 ha-1) compared to rest of the treatment combinations