Determination of Most Limiting Nutrient for Maize Yield through Nutrient Omission Experiment for Site-Specific Nutrient Recommendation on Typic ustipssament of Maiduguri, Northeast Nigeria By

Adam Lawan Ngala*, Joshua Dankasa Kwari, and Goni Makinta

Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author: Adam Lawan Ngala, Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Received: April 10, 2023; Published: July 06, 2023

Abstract

Effect of omitting one essential nutrient on the yield and yield parameters of maize (2000 Synthetic TZEEY, yellow) on a sandy loam soil was investigated in a field experiment conducted in 2018 and 2019 seasons in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The treatments involved no fertilizer (control), and recommended rates of PK, NK, NP, NPK, NPK + S + Ca + Zn + B, and NPK + S + Ca + Zn + B + Manure (cow dung) arranged in a randomized complete block design. Maize yield (per net plot), number of cobs, weight (kg) of the total maize stalks of each plot without cobs, weight (kg) of the cobs per plot, bulked weight of five cobs taken at random from each net plot were determined. Five cobs were shelled and grains and the cobs weighed. While the mean number and weight of cobs per plot declined significantly (P < 0.05) from 134 to 52 and 3.47 to 0.45 kg, respectively when phosphorus and potassium were applied alone without nitrogen, the means increased significantly from 134 to 189 and 7.70 to 11.18 kg when nitrogen was involved. The mean shelled and unshelled cobs per plot followed similar pattern. The effectiveness of the nitrogen application together with micronutrients and organic materials in terms of increasing maize stalk and grain yields was observed. Yields were lower when nitrogen was omitted. The most limiting nutrient was observed to be nitrogen, followed by phosphorus, but potassium not limiting nutrient for maize production in this area. For site specific nutrient recommendations, the rates involving nitrogen in combinations with organic materials and micronutrients should be encouraged and not potassium.

Keywords: Nutrient Omission; Most Limiting Nutrient; Maize; SSNM; Northeast Nigeria

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Citation

Citation: Adam Lawan Ngala., et al. “Determination of Most Limiting Nutrient for Maize Yield through Nutrient Omission Experiment for Site-Specific Nutrient Recommendation on Typic ustipssament of Maiduguri, Northeast Nigeria By". Acta Scientific Agriculture 7.8 (2023): 25-32.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2023 Adam Lawan Ngala., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.