SATPAL*, SURESH KUMAR, SATYAJEET, NARESH KUMAR, N. KHAROR, Y. JINDAL, B. L. SHARMA AND NEELAM KUMARI MANDAL
Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding (Forage Section), RRS Bawal, Rewari (Haryana),
Directorate of Research, 4Department of Agricultural Meteorology
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
Associate Professor (Botany), Government (PG) College, Panchkula (Haryana), India
*(e-mail : neerajkharor@hau.ac.in)
(Received : 8 June 2023; Accepted : 29 June 2023)
SUMMARY
A field experiment was conducted at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar (Haryana), India to test the impact of three graded levels of nitrogen (80, 120 and 160 kg/ha) on yield, quality and economics of seven fodder maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes (four test entries viz. DFH-2, HQPM-28, PFM-13, AFH-7 and three checks viz. African Tall, J-1006 and COHM-8) during kharif (rainy) season
of 2022 using factorial RBD design in three replicates. Results revealed that check entry ‘DFH-2’ with highest green and dry fodder yields i.e. 603.34 and 160.56 t/ha excelled over all the other test entries and checks. Even significantly highest per day productivity of green fodder and dry matter yields (9.28 and 2.48 q/ha/day) were also recorded in DFH-2. Among genotypes, maximum crude protein content (10.85 %) was estimated with COHM-8 which was on a par with DFH-2 and African Tall. However, maximum crude protein yield (17.21 q/ha) was recorded in DFH-2 which was significantly superior over rest of the genotypes. Among N levels, significant improvement was seen in leaf to stem ratio values from 80 kg N to 120 kg N but no significant increase was observed from 120 to 160 kg N/ha. It was concluded that fodder maize genotype DFH-2 was exclusively promising and application of 120 kg N/ha was recommended nitrogen dose to ensure the higher fodder yield, quality and to fetch better remunerations.
Key words: Fodder maize, genotypes, nitrogen levels, fodder yield, crude protein and BC ratio