Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during kharif 2008 to study the influence of fertilizer levels and foliar spray of plant growth substances on yield and economics of hybrid maize under irrigated condition. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design replicated thrice. Three fertilizer levels viz., 150:75:75, 200:100:100 and 250:125:125 NPK kg ha-1 constituted the main plot treatments. Foliar spray of growth substances viz., control (no spray), salicylic acid 100 ppm, boric acid 0.3%, PGR consortia 1.5%, TNAU Panchagavya 3% and Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria (PPFM) 106 dilution were assigned to sub plot. The results revealed that yield, gross return and net return were higher under the treatment combination 250:125:125 NPK kg ha-1 along with the foliar spray of PGR consortia @ 1.5% twice at 45 DAS and 55 DAS. However, the highest benefit cost ratio was recorded under the treatment combination 200:100:100 NPK kg ha-1 along with the foliar spray of PGR consortia @ 1.5%.

Keywords: Hybrid maize, fertilizer levels, growth substances, yield, economics