Effect of Mineral and Organo-Mineral Fertilizer Under Different Methods of Application on Maize (Zea mays L.) Production
*Oke, O. O 1, Bello2, W. B. and Adeoye, G.O.3
1Department of Soil Science and Land Management University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, 2Department of Agricultural Technology, Oyo State College of Agriculture, P.M.B 10,Igbo-ora Oyo State Nigeria, 3Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author’s Email: waswarith@yahoo.com; GSM number: 08069787575
Accepted on April 16, 2012
Abstract
Soil fertility problems are normally combated with the use of mixtures of organic and inorganic fertilizers. A field experiment was conducted during the 2005 and 2006 rainy season (May –September) at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria, to evaluate the effect of Mineral and Organo-Mineral fertilizers on growth and yield of Maize using different methods of application. ACR.91 SWAN1 maize variety was used as the test crop. A randomized complete block design was used with 11 treatments namely: control (no fertilizer), 2 and 1 t/ha-urea amended compost (buried and surface of Grade A and B), 6.7 and3.4t/ha (buried and surface of Grade A and B), N.P.K (300kg/ha-l, buried and surface) and replicated three times. Data were analysed using ANOVA and the means were separated using Duncan multiple range test. Result showed that NPK (buried) gave the best performance in all characters observed with grain yield of 6.32tha-l followed by urea amended compost (buried) with 5.53tha-l. The buried methods of N.P.K., urea amended compost and 6.7t/ha compost gave 6.32tha-l, 5.53t/ha and 3.08t/ha when compared with surface method with 5.83t/ha, 5.0t/ha and 2.83t/ha grain yield respectively. Organo-mineral fertilizer grade A at full dose and buried methods of application performed better than the grade B at full dose (6.7t/ha) that whichproduced yields of 2.83t/ha and 3.08t/ha for surface and buried methods of application respectively. Half dose followed the same trend as shown in the full doses of grade A and B. The use of Organic amended fertilizer gave a better result in maize growth and yield parameters considered than that of control with grain yield 2.13t/ha. Upgrading the fortification of manures with mineral fertilizer, should be seen as a better option for improving nutrient use efficiency and amelioration of soil for optimum maize production.