EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND SULPHUR ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF MAIZE

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the research field of Crop Physiology and Ecology department, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur during April to July 2018 to evaluate the performance of maize (BARI hybrid Bhutta-7) as influenced by different levels of nitrogen and sulphur. The experiment comprised of two factors; such as factor A: Three nitrogen levels, N0: 0 kg N/ha (control), N1: 100 kg N/ha, N2: 150 kg N/ha and factor B: four levels of sulphur like, S0: 0 kg S/ha, S1: 15 kg S/ha, 25 kg S/ha and S3: 35 S/ha. The experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Both nitrogen and sulphur significantly affected growth, yield and yield contributing characters of maize. In case of nitrogen, the tallest plant, highest leaf area, branch number per plant, maximum days to tasseling, silking and maturity were observed in N2 (150 kg N/ha) but leaf number and plant dry weight was highest in N1 (100 kg N/ha) and the result was minimum for all above parameters in N0 (0 kg N/ha). In case of sulphur, the tallest plant, highest leaf area, leaf number, branch number per plant, plant dry weight, maximum days to tasseling, silking and maturity were observed in S2 (25 kg S/ha) and the result was tolerant for all above parameters in S0 (0 kg S/ha). In interaction, the tallest plant, highest leaf area, branch number per plant, maximum days to tasseling, silking and maturity were observed in N2S2 interaction but leaf number and plant dry weight was highest in N1S2 interaction whereas the result was lowest for all above parameters in N0S0 interaction. In case of yield and yield contributing characters like cob length, number of cob per plant, number of grains/cob, 1000-grain weight, grain yield and stover yield had significant variation due to different nitrogen and sulphur levels. In different nitrogen levels, the best performance was observed in N1 (100 kg N/ha) whereas, the lowest performance was observed in N0 (0 kg N/ha). In different sulphur levels, best performance observed in S2 (25 kg S/ha) and the lowest performance was observed in S0 (0 kg S/ha). Therefore in interaction, highest cob length, number of cob per plant, number of grains/cob, 1000-grain weight, grain yield and stover yield were found in N1S2 interaction and the result was opposite for all above parameters in N0S0 interaction. Based on the above findings it can be concluded that an application of 100 kg N ha-1 with 25 kg of S ha-1 is the best combination of nitrogen and sulphur for obtaining higher yield attributes and yield of hybrid maize.