Growth and Production of Maize (Zea mays L.) as Affected by Water Treatment, Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive seasons at the Demonstration Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum (2005 and 2006), to study the growth and production of maize (Zea mays L.) as affected by water treatment, organic and inorganic fertilizers. The design was split-split-plots with three replicates. Watering treatments were applied after six weeks from planting at intervals of 7, 14 and 21 days as main plots. Fermented chicken manure was applied to the sub-plots at a rate of 0 and 10 tons / ha. Nitrogen in form of urea (46% N) was applied to the sub-sub- plots at a rate of 0 and 119 kg / ha. Both chicken manure and urea were applied after one month from planting. The results revealed that the short watering interval significantly increased number of green leaves, number of cobs and cobs fresh weight in both seasons. Similarly, fresh weight, dry weight and plant height in the first season. Stem diameter and leaf area in the second season. It also significantly decreased the number of dry leaves in both seasons. It had non-significantly increased the plant height in the second season. Neither number of leaves nor number of days to 50% flowering was significantly affected by watering intervals. Addition of chicken manure significantly increased fresh weight, leaf area, number of cobs and cobs fresh weight in both seasons. Similarly, dry weight and plant height in the first season. It also significantly decreased the number of dry leaves in the first season. It reduced the number of days to 50% flowering insignificantly in the first season. Stem diameter, number of leaves and number of green leaves were not significantly affected by the addition of chicken manure. Nitrogen application significantly increased plant height, leaf area, and cobs fresh weight in both seasons. It also significantly increased fresh weight, dry weight, stem diameter and number of green leaves in the first season and number of cobs in the second season. The number of dry leaves was significantly reduced by nitrogen application in the first season. Neither number of leaves nor number of days to 50% flowering was significantly affected by nitrogen treatments. Short watering interval X chicken manure interaction significantly increased fresh weight, number of green leaves, number of cobs and cobs fresh weight in both seasons, dry weight in the first season and leaf area in the second season. It also significantly decreased the number of dry leaves in both seasons. Plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and days to 50% flowering were not significantly affected by watering X chicken manure interaction. Short watering interval and nitrogen application significantly increased leaf area, number of cobs and cobs fresh weight in both seasons, fresh weight, dry weight and number of green leaves in the first season, and significantly decreased the number of dry leaves in the first season too. Plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and number of days to 50% flowering were not significantly affected by watering X nitrogen interaction. Application of both chicken manure and nitrogen significantly increased fresh weight and leaf area in both seasons, dry weight and number of cobs in the first season, number of green leaves and cobs fresh weight in the second season. Number of dry leaves was significantly decreased in the first season. Plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and days to 50% flowering were not significantly affected. Watering intervals X chicken manure X nitrogen interaction significantly increased dry weight and number of green leaves in the first season, number of cobs and cobs fresh weight in the second season and reduced the number of dry leaves in both seasons. It had no significant effect on plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area and number of days to 50% flowering.