POOJA GUPTA SONI, SATPAL, KANNOJ, NEERAJ KHAROR, RAJIV AGGARAWAL
Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding (Forage Section)
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
Indian Grassland and Forage Research Institute, Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh), India
*(e-mail: poojagupta.agri@gmail.com)
(Received: 31 January 2026; Accepted: 5 March 2026)
SUMMARY
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a vital fodder crop valued for its high biomass yield and nutritional quality, though it’s nutrient-exhaustive nature demands effective fertilization strategies. This study evaluated the effects of nano-urea foliar application on the productivity, quality, and economics of fodder maize during the Kharif seasons of 2022 and 2023 at the Forage Research Farm, Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 10 treatments [T1: Control (without N); T2:RDF (N:P:K @150:60:40 kg/ha); T3 : 75 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 2 ml/litre of water; T4: 50 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 2 ml/litre of water; T5: 75 % recommended dose of N + Nano @4ml/litre of water; T6: 50 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 4ml/litre of water; T7: 75 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 6ml/litre of water; T8: 50 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 6ml/litre of water; T9:75 % recommended dose of N + Urea (2 % spray), and T10: 50 % recommended dose of N + Urea (2 % spray)] and three replications. Results revealed that 75 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 6ml/litre of water (T7) produced the highest plant height (245.6 cm), leaf-to-stem ratio (0.407), green fodder yield (493.9 q/ha), and dry fodder yield (141.3 q/ha), statistically at par with recommended fertilizer dose and 75 % recommended dose of N + Nano @ 4ml/litre of water. Crude protein content (10.93%) and nitrogen uptake (247.1 kg/ha) were also maximized under T7. Economic analysis indicated that 75% nitrogen with nano-urea at 4 ml/L of water achieved the highest benefit-cost ratio (2.12), followed closely by T7 (2.10). These findings demonstrate that nano-urea foliar application can effectively substitute 25% of soil-applied nitrogen without compromising fodder yield or quality, offering a sustainable and economically viable approach to nitrogen management in fodder maize production.
Key words: Fodder maize, nano-urea, nitrogen management, crude protein, fodder yield, benefit-cost ratio