Interactive effect of different levels of nitrogen and FYM on growth, yield, and protein content of spring maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A field study entitled ‘Interactive effect of different levels of nitrogen and FYM on growth, yield and protein content of spring maize (Zea mays L.)’ was conducted during spring season in the year 2022 at LPU, Phagwara, Punjab. The experiment was conducted in split plot design with three levels of FYM (0, 15 and 22.5 t ha-1) as main plot treatments and four levels of N (0, 62.5, 94 and 125 kg ha-1) as sub plot treatments with three replications. Irrespective of FYM, increase in the level of N significantly increased the grain yield at every level of N applied. The higher grain yield under N125 was accompanied by a significant increase in growth and yield attributes. Irrespective of N, application of FYM15 significantly increased the grain over FYM0 but further increase to FYM22.5 failed to cause further significant affect over FYM15. The higher grain yield under FYM15 was accompanied by the significant increase in the growth and yield attributes. The interaction between N and FYM was significant. The highest grain yield (7.67 t ha-1) was recorded under the combination of FYM15 + N125, which was at par with FYM22.5 + N125 (7.89 t ha-1) but 12 % higher than FYM22.5 + N94 (6.84 t ha-1) and 15 % higher than FYM15 + N94.