Production potential of summer legumes-maize (Zea mays) sequence under varying levels of nitrogen

Abstract

A 2-year field experiment was conducted at Pantnagar on sandy-loam soil to study the perfolmance of rainy-season (lcl~nr~fl niaize (Zen III~JJS L.) raised with va~ying levels of N (0,30,60 and 90 kglha) and in sequences with different preceding summer crops, viz. urdbean 01. blackgram (Pl~nseol~rs I I I ~ I I ~L.), O niungbcan 01. greengram (P. vndinnrs L.), cowpea [Vig~in ~r~~grriarlnm (L.) Walp.] fodder and grain and niaize Fodder. The maize grown atter cowpea for lbdder gave the highest grain yield, N uptake, whereas when grown atter maize for fodder showed lowest values. The inte~action effect showed that maize when grown after cowpea fodder and mungbean and supplement with 30 kg Nlha resulted in significantly highel- grain yield than 60 and 90 kg Nlhaas well as than other summer crops. Signiticantly higher net return, benefit : cost ratio were also recorded in cowpea fodder-maize sequence. Grain yield, net return and benefit :cost ratio increased significantly with increasing level of N up to 60 kgha.