Influence of Integrated Nutrients on N and P Uptake and Biomass Production of Maize (Zea mays L.) in Mazimbu, Tanzania

Abstract

A screen house soil culture experiments were conducted at Teaching and Research Farm, Mazimbu campus of Sokoine University of Agriculture Morogoro City, Tanzania in 2014 and 2015 to investigate the nutrients uptake (N and P) and biomass production (DMY) of maize grown with different levels of organic and inorganic fertilizers. The treatments used were nitrogen at three levels (0, 75 and 150 kgNha-1), phosphorus (0, 40 and 80 kgPha-1) and Farm Yard Manure (0, 5 and 10 tFYMha-1). The treatments were factorially combined and replicated three times using completely randomized design (CRD). DMY were assessed and the uptake of Nitrogen and phosphorus by maize were determined. Results of the experiments showed that, the combined rates of organic and inorganic fertilizers significantly increased Dry matter yield and N and P uptakes of maize when compared with most of the treatments and with the control. Root and shoot biomass ranged from 0.54 and 1.60 g pot-1 to 2.33 and 10.90 g pot-1 in 2014 and 3.59 and 11.52 g pot-1 to 9.28 and 24.43 g pot-1 in 2015 respectively. While the nutrient uptakes ranged from 1.04 and 0.089% to 2.94 and 0.37% for N and P in 2014 and 0.367 and 0.037% to 2.555 and 0.308% for N and P respectively in 2015. It was therefore concluded that the combined application of organic (FYM) and inorganic (N and P) fertilizers improved nutrients uptake and tissue nutrient contents of maize in the studied soils.