Abstract

                                A pot culture experiment was conducted at the Department ofAgronomy, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai, during rabi season2019 - 2020 to study the influence of organic manures and syntheticfertilizers on the nutrient uptake and green fodder yield of fodder maize(Zea mays L.). An experiment was laid out with two factors and threereplications. Four organic manure treatments in main-plots viz., no manure,farm yard manure (25 t ha-1), vermicompost (12 t ha-1) and poultrymanure (12 t ha-1) and four fertilizer treatments in subplots viz., Nofertilizer, 125% RDF, 100% RDF, 75% RDF. The recommended dose offertilizer (RDF) for fodder maize is 60 kg N ha-1: 40 kg P2O5 ha-1: 20 kg K2Oha-1. The organic manures were applied as per the N equivalent basis tothe inorganic nutrient recommendation. The results revealed that theapplication of nutrients through poultry manure @ 12 t ha-1 resulted inhigher plant uptake of Nitrogen (112.2 kg ha-1), phosphorus ( 19.26 kgha-1), and potassium ( 117.7 kg ha-1) followed by the application of farmyard manure @ 25 t ha-1 on N equivalent basis. Concerning fertilizers, theapplication of 75% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer resulted inhigher plant nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium uptake (104.9, 18.9,108.54 Kg ha-1 N, P, K, respectively). About the fodder yield, the highestgreen and dry fodder yield were recorded under the treatment combinationof poultry manure along with 75% RDF 31.84 t ha-1 and 5.19 t ha-1 at 60DAS, respectively).

Key words : Nutrient uptake; Fodder yield; Organic manure; Inorganic fertilizers; Fodder maize