Effect of Macronutrient Levels, Micronutrient Mixture and Humic Acid on Yield and Economics of Kharif Maize

Background: Cultivation of Maize, a highly productive and profitable crop, requires standardization of macronutrients, micronutrients and organic nutrition.

Objective: Research was planned with the objective to enhance the yield and profit of kharif maize by agronomic fortification through macronutrients, micronutrient mixture and humic acid.

Method: The field experiment was conducted at agricultural farm, Lovely Professional University, Punjab in randomized block design with 10 nutrient management treatments ((T0: control (100% RDF), T1: T0 +soil application of micronutrient mixture (MM) @10kg/ha, T2: T0+ foliar application of MM @1%, T3: T0+ seed priming with MM @1%, T4: 75% RDF+ soil application of MM@10kg/ha, T5: 75% RDF+ foliar application of MM@1%, T6: 75% RDF+ seed priming with MM @1%, T7: T4+ humic acid @1%, T8: T5+humic acid @1% at 30 days after sowing (DAS), T9: T6+ foliar application of humic acid@1% at 30 DAS).

Results: Among various macronutrients, micronutrient mixture and humic acid combinations, T8 treatment recorded relatively higher yield attributes like cobs/plant (1.18), cob length (18.8 cm), cob girth (17.6 cm), cob weight with (143.80 g) or without (132.56 g) husk, grains row/cob (14.1), grains/row (26.8), 100 grains weight (27.1 g), grain yield (7.83 t/ha), stover yield (10.13 t/ha) and harvest index (43.61%), which was remained statistically similar by T7 treatment. Production economics further, revealed that T8 treatment was the most profitable (net return: ₹ 1,02,253/ha and B:C: 2.78) and therefore, can be recommended for kharif maize cultivation in Punjab.