Effects of Soil Fertility Management on Growth, Yield, and Water-Use Efficiency of Maize (Zea mays L.) and Selected Soil Properties

Abstract

Maize was grown for two cropping years to investigate the supplementary effect of inorganic fertilizer with cow dung on growth, yield, water-use efficiency, and soil properties. Five treatments were imposed: unfertilized control and four different fertilization packages comprising two different levels of inorganic fertilization with cow dung as supplements, sole inorganic fertilizer, and sole cow dung. Results analyzed after the two cropping years showed significant differences in growth and yield. A reduction in yield was observed for the unfertilized plots, whereas yields in the plots of supplemented inorganic fertilizer with cow dung increased and were significantly at par with the sole inorganic fertilizer plot. Water-use efficiency was improved for the fertilized plots. Significant improvement was observed in the water-stable aggregates with plots that received cow dung as organic manure either in part with inorganic fertilizer or as sole cow dung.

Keywords:

• Cow dung
• maize (Zea mays L.)
• soil properties
• supplementary fertilization

Acknowledgment

The authors express their gratitude to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan, for the financial support, without which this research would not have been possible.