Effect of Seed Priming and Fertilizer Levels on Growth, Yield Attributes and Yield of Rabi Maize

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted during the rabi season of 2019-20 at College of Agriculture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari to study the “Effect of seed priming and fertilizer levels on rabi maize under south Gujarat condition”. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with factorial concept (FRBD) with ten treatment combinations consisting of two factors which consists seed priming, Control (No priming), Seed priming with water for 12 hrs., Seed priming with 0.5% KCl for 12 hrs., Seed priming with 0.5% KMnO4 for 12 hrs., Seed priming with 0.5% KH2PO4 for 12 hrs and fertilizer levels, 75% RDF (112.5+45+00, N: P2O5: K2O kg/ha) and 100  Recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) (150+60+00, N: P2O5: K2O kg/ha). Treatments are replicated three times. The result indicated Seed priming with 0.5% KH2PO4 for 12 hrs recorded significantly higher plant population, number of leaves per plant, plant height, grain and straw yield compared to other treatments. In case of fertilizer levels number of leaves per plant and plant height recorded non significant at 30 DAS. Significantly higher plant height at 60 DAS, 90 DAS, at harvest, grain and straw yield recorded in treatment of 100% RDF (150+60+00, N: P2O5: K2O kg/ha). Treatment combination S5F2: (KH2PO4 at 0.5% for 12 hrs with 100% RDF i.e., 150+60+00, N: P2O5: K2O kg/ha) recorded significantly higher plant height at 90 DAS, at harvest, Grain and straw yield as compared to other treatments. Thus a combination of Seed priming 0.5% KH2PO4 for 12 hrs with 100% RDF (150+60+00, N: P2O5: K2O kg/ha) helps in enhancing the growth parameters, yield attributes and yield of rabi maize without negative influence on plant and the environment.