Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Integrated Use of Phosphatic Fertilizer and Farm Manure on Soil Physical Properties and Maize Yield

Abdul Saboor, Muhammad Iqbal, Usman K. Chaudry, Haroon Shehzad

Abstract


Soil fertility, one of the important determinants of agricultural productivity, is generally thought to be supplemented through the application of nutrients mainly through inorganic fertilizers and organic amendments. The physical health of the soil creating suitable environment for the availability and uptake of these nutrients is generally ignored. The present study was aims to characterize the soil physical environment in relation to integrated application of farm manure (FM) and inorganic fertilizer in hybrid maize (Zea mays L.). A Field experiment was conducted at Research Area of Institute of Soil & Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad to evaluate the impact of different levels of DAP fertilizer @ 70:80:90 kg ha-1 in combination with FM @ 0, 5, 10 Mg ha-1 to check the soil physical properties as well as yield of hybrid maize. The experimental design was RCBD under factorial structure with 9 treatments replicated thrice. Crop was harvested at maturity and taking observations like physical parameters (Bulk density, porosity, infiltration rate, field saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil strength) and yield parameters (1000 grain weight, plant height, total grain yield) following standard procedures. Results showed that integrated use of farm manure and phosphorus rates significantly affect the plant height, grain yield of maize. Farm maure and phosphorus levels also increased soil porosity and soil hydraulic conductivity. But it reduced the soil bulk density and soil strength. So to improve soil physical properties, to gain substantial yield of maize phosphorus rates applied in a planned manner rather than excessive use and effects of farm manure should also be kept under consideration.

Keywords


Maize; Bulk density; Porosity; Phosphatic fertilizer; Farm manure

Full Text:

PDF


DOI: https://doi.org/10.33687/jacm.003.02.4414

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Journal of Arable Crops and Marketing
ISSN: 2709-8109 (Online), 2709-8095 (Print)
© EScience Press. All Rights Reserved.