Effect of Tillage, Crop Residue Management and Nutrient Levels on Growth and Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.)

A field study was conducted during rabi season of 2022 at Maize Research Centre, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University, Agricultural Research Institute, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana. The experiment comprised of 12 treatment combinations laid out in a split–plot design with three replications. The main–plot treatments included four different tillage practices:M1-Conventional tillage (Plough + Cultivator + Rotovator), M2-Residue incorporation (After 10 days of spreading the haulms, only rotovator was run), M3- Residue incorporation (After spreading the haulms, microbial consortium was sprayed and after 10 days only rotovator was run) and M4- Zero-tillage (only microbial consortium was sprayed on the haulms). Sub–plot treatments included three nutrient levels: N1- 100% RDF (240-80-80 N-P2O5-K2O kg ha-1), N2: 100% RDN & P and 50% RDK (240-80-40 N-P2O5-K2O kg ha-1), and N3: 87.5% of RDN, 75% RDP and 75% RDK (210-60-60 N-P2O5-K2O kg ha-1). Results revealed that, among the tillage practices, residue incorporation (M3) had recorded significantly higher growth attributes like plant height, leaf area, dry matter production and chlorophyll content (SPAD) at 30, 60 DAS and at harvest stages and yield of maize and it was on par with zero-tillage (M4) whereas all the parameters were significantly lower in conventional tillage (M1). Among the different nutrient levels, N1(100% RDF) had shown significantly superior performance in terms of growth attributes and yield of maize and it was on par with N2 (100% RDN & P and 50% RDK) whereas N3(87.5% of RDN, 75% RDP and 75% RDK) recorded significantly lower growth attributes and yield of maize .The interaction effect due to tillage and nutrient levels on plant height, leaf area, dry matter production, chlorophyll content (SPAD) at 30, 60 DAS and at harvest and yield was non- significant.

Effect of Nano Nitrogen and Zinc Application on Dry Matter at Different Stages and Grain, Straw Yield of Paddy

A Pot culture experiment was carried out at Agriculture Research Institute, Rajendranagar, To study the impact of Nano Nitrogen in combination with zinc (soil application or foliar spray) on yield, in paddy crop. The soils employed in net house experiment were selected based on low, medium and high zinc availability classes obtained from the zinc analysis data of surveyed samples. They are low (0.4 mg kg-1), medium (0.71 mg kg-1) and high (1.30 mg kg-1). The results revealed that the highest dry matter at Panicle initiation, Grain and Straw yield were observed in the treatment applied with hundred percent recommended dose of nitrogen through NCU granules along with RDPK and soil application of 25 kg zinc sulphate ha-1 resulted in an increase in grain and straw yields by 23 & 24 % over basal application of 1/3rd of 100 % RDN through NCU granules along with RDPK coupled with Nano nitrogen sprays (each at MT & PI stages in rice) and soil application of 25 kg zinc sulphate ha-1