Enhancing Crop Productivity through Zn and B Fertilization in Maize- Blackgram Cropping System

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted during 2011-12 in maize-blackgram cropping system to determine the effect of boron (B) and zinc (Zn) on the yield and yield components in B and Zn- deficient red soils (Fine loamy hyperthermic Udic Haplustalfs) of Pattukkottai series in Pudukkottai district, Tamil Nadu. The treatments included for the main crop maize hybrid (NK-6240) and residual blackgram (var.Vamban-3) were three levels of NPK as main plot treatments M 1 : Control (No N , P and K), M 2 : 75% NPK kg ha -1 , M 3 : 100% NPK ha -1 (250:75:75)and nine levels of sub plot treatments as ZnSO4 @ 37.5 kg ha-1 (S2), 50kg ZnSO4 ha -1 (S3), 10 kg Borax ha -1 (S4), 15 kg Borax ha -1 (S5), 37.5 kg ZnSO4 ha -1 +10 kg Borax ha -1 (S6), 37.5 kg ZnSO4 ha-1 +15 kg Borax ha -1 (S7), 50 kg ZnSO4 ha-1 +10 kg Borax ha -1 (S8) and 50 kg ZnSO4 ha-1 +15 kg Borax ha -1 (S9) and also without application of fertilizers was maintained as absolute control (S1) in split plot design. Results revealed that application of ZnSO 4 and Borax @ 37.5 kg +10 kg ha -1 respectively combined with recommended 100% NPK ha-1 (M 3 S 6 ) significantly recorded the highest grain (6.93 t ha -1 ) and stover yield (12.57 t ha-1 ). For residual crop black gram, application of ZnSO4 and Borax @ 50 kg and10 kg ha -1 respectively combined with recommended 100% NPK ha -1 (M 3 S 8 ) significantly recorded the highest seed (747.9 kg ha -1 ) and haulm yield (80.8 kg ha -1 ). Among the different levels of macro with micronutrient combinations, the highest gross income (Rs.1,33,391) was recorded under the treatment 100 % NPK + Zn 10 B 1.0 (M 3 S 8 ) than 37.5 kg ZnSO 4 ha-1 +10 kg Borax ha -1 (M3 S6 ). Hence, in Zn and B deficient soil, combined application of 100% NPK along with 50 kg and10 kg of ZnSO 4 and Borax ha -1 respectively (M 3 S 8 ) may be recommended for enhancing yield and gross income in maize-blackgram cropping system

DOI

https://doi.org/10.29321/MAJ.10.001060

Pages

26 - 31

Creative Commons

Copyright

© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Madras Agricultural Students' Union in Madras Agricultural Journal (MAJ). This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited by the user.

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