• R. MUKESH
• P. KAMALAKANNAN
• K. ARIVUKKARASU

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of recommended dose of fertilizer and zinc sulphate on growth, yield and yield characters of hybrid maize in sandy loam soil of Vanniyarpalayam Village belongs to vadalapakkam series (Typic Rhodustalf), low in organic carbon, low in alkaline KMnO4–N, and low in Bray-P and medium in NH4OAc-K. Field experiment was conducted with seven treatments viz., T1 - 50% RDF, T2 - 100% RDF, T3 - 150% RDF, T4 - 150% RDF + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1, T5 - 150% RDF + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Neem cake @ 200 kg ha-1, T6 - 150% RDF + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Azotobacter @ 2 kg ha-1, T7 - 150% RDF + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Neem cake @ 200 kg ha-1 + Azotobacter @ 2 kg ha-1. The experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with four replications and tested with maize var. Dhanvi-166 as test crop. The results of the study indicated that the application of 150 % recommended dose of fertilizer, zinc sulphate @ 25 kg ha-1 and neem cake @ 200 kg ha-1 along with Azotobacter @ 2 kg ha-1 was significantly superior in increasing grain (7620.48 kg ha-1) and Stover yield (8951.91 kg ha-1), growth characters viz., plant height, leaf area index and dry matter production and yield characters viz., cob length, cob girth, number of grains cob-1and hundred seed weight. The various levels (50 %, 100% and 150%) of recommended dose fertilizer alone treatments gave the lower values of growth, yield and yield attributes than the other combined application treatments Application of 50% recommended dose fertilizer registered lower values of growth, yield and yield parameters.

Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc sulphate, Neem cake, Azotobacter and Maize

"EFFECT OF RECOMMENDED DOSE OF FERTILIZER AND ZINC SULPHATE ON GROWTH, YIELD AND YIELD CHARACTERS OF HYBRID MAIZE", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no.526-529, June-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1906B84.pdf

"EFFECT OF RECOMMENDED DOSE OF FERTILIZER AND ZINC SULPHATE ON GROWTH, YIELD AND YIELD CHARACTERS OF HYBRID MAIZE", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no. pp526-529, June-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1906B84.pdf