SATPAL, SATYAJEET, SURESH KUMAR, NEELAM, K. K. BHARDWAJ AND ANIL KUMAR
Department of Agronomy,
Regional Research Station, Bawal (Rewari)
Department of Soil Science,
Department of Agricultural Meteorology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, 125004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail: satpal.fpj@gmail.com)
(Received: 2 October 2024; Accepted: 25 December 2024)
SUMMARY
The field investigation was conducted at Forage Research Farm, CCS HAU, Hisar (India) during Kharif 2021 and 2022. The soil of the experimental field was slightly alkaline in reaction, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and potassium. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three sowing dates (June 10, June 25 and July 10) and two crop geometries (30 cm × 10 cm and 45 cm × 10 cm) in main plots and five fertilizer levels (Control – No N and P, 40 kg N+20 kg P2O5/ha, 60 kg N+30 kg P2O5/ha, 80 kg N+40 kg P2O5/ha and 100 kg N+50 kg P2O5/ha) in sub-plots with three replications. Among sowing dates, the maximum green fodder yield (39.62 and 44.06 t/ha) and dry matter (10.90 and 12.38 t/ha), respectively during first and second year were recorded in the crop sown on July 10, which was at par to that sown on June 25. Maximum B:C was obtained in the fodder maize sown on June 25 (2.16 and 2.40) being at par with July 10 sowing (2.09 and 2.34). Among crop geometries, significantly highest yield of green fodder and dry matter, (39.48 and 43.96, 10.86 and 12.35 t/ha, respectively during first and second year) were recorded in the crop sown with 30 cm × 10 cm geometry. Numerically better B:C was achieved with crop geometry of 30 x 10 cm crop geometry, although it was at par with the crop geometry 45 cm x 15 cm. With increasing NP fertilizer dose, fodder maize responded up to the maximum level of 100 kg N+50 kg P2O5 ha-1 for yield (46.02 and 12.80 t/ha, two year mean green fodder and dry matter, respectively) were on a par with 80 kg N+40 kg P2O5/ha level. Maximum B:C (2.30 and 2.54 during first and second year, respectively) was fetched with the fertilizer application of 80 kg N+40 kg P2O5/ha level. It can be concluded that fodder maize crop may be sown from June 25 to July 10 with a spacing of 30 cm x 10 cm and fertilizer application 80 kg N+40 kg P2O5 per hectare for high fodder yield and quality along with economical production.
Key words: Fodder maize, fodder yield, per day productivity of fodder and economics