Effect of Planting Date and Nutritional Treatments on Yield and Yield Components of Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Use of organic fertilizers is one of the important ways to improve agricultural productions reduce the risk of environmental pollution and to achieve sustainable goals. To compare the effect of different levels of planting date, organic and chemical fertilizers on yield and yield components of maize, a split plot experiment with eight treatments and three replications was conducted at The Research Farm of Islamic Azad University, Research and Sciences Branch, at Varamin, in 2019. Treatments were two levels of planting time (timely planting and late planting) and four fertilizers levels (control, 450 kg.ha-1 urea, 25 ton.ha-1 of compost manure and 15 ton.ha-1 of vermicompost fertilizer). The results showed that all of the traits under except 1000-grain weight were affected by different treatments. Delayed sowing significantly decreased yield and yield components. In most of the traits studied, significant differences between urea, compost and vermicompost treatments were not observed. However, stem diameter, seed content of nitrogen, number of kernel per ear and 1000-seed weight were not affected by the applied fertilizer treatments. Urea and vermicompost increased leaf soluble carbohydrates by (32.9 µg.g-1 FW and 31.9 µg.g-1 FW, respectively) and biological yield by (29.7 ton.ha-1 and 28.8 ton.ha-1, respectively). Also, grain yield increased by the use of compost (6.9 ton.ha-1) and urea (7.3 ton.ha-1) treatments. According to the results of this study, compost and vermicompost fertilizer can be a good alternative to urea in production of corn in Varamin region.

Keywords

• compost
• nitrogen
• farmyard manure
• sustainable agriculture
• seed yield