Influence of moisture conservation and integrated nutrient management on growth and productivity of summer maize in southern Afghanistan

Abstract

A field experiments was conducted during summer season of 2017 to determine the effect of moisture conservation and (INM) on growth and productivity of maize at Tarnak Farm of Afghanistan National Agriculture Sciences and Technology University (ANASTU), Kandahar province of Afghanistan. The experiment comprised of 12 treatment combinations viz., 3-moisture conservation practices (MCP) including flat bed (FB), raised bed (RB) and raised bed + mulch @ 3 t ha–1 (RBM) in mainplots and 4-INM options, control (no-nutrient application), 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF, 150:6040 NPK), 50% RDF + FYM (5 t ha-1) + 2 foliar sprays of urea (2%) and 50% RDF + FYM (10 t ha–1) + 2 foliar sprays of urea (2%) in sub-plots. The treatments were set in a three-time replicated split-plot design. Results revealed that RBM recorded the highest values of growth and yield attributes, which consequently led to the highest grain and straw yields. Raised bed and RBM showed similar effect on growth, yield attributes and productivity of maize. Grain yield (5.22 t ha–1) with RBM was 14.5% higher over FB (4.56 t ha-1) whereas, RB without mulch produced 6.1% higher grain yield (4.84 t ha–1) over FB planting. The higher growth and productivity of maize with RBM was likely due to increased availability of moisture for a longer duration which might also have enhanced the nutrient utilization during dry and hot summer season. Among the INM options, 50% RDF + FYM (10 t ha–1) + 2 foliar sprays of urea (2%) recorded the maximum values for growth, yield traits and grain yield (5.69 t ha-1). This INM option was at par with 100% RDF (5.44 t/ha) and significantly better than 50% RDF + FYM (5 t/ha) + 2 foliar sprays of urea (2%) (5.06 t ha–1) and control (3.31 t ha–1). Thus, RBM and 50% RDF + FYM (10 t ha–1) + 2 foliar sprays of urea (2%) were the most suitable MCP and INM option to obtain highest productivity of maize in Southern region of Afganistan.