Sub-surface drip fertigation of nitrogen coupled with crop residue incorporation enhanced the growth and yield of maize in an alluvial soils
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v69i2.5499Keywords:
Absolute growth rate, CROPWAT, ETc., Leaf-area, Plant height, Nitrogen uptakeAbstract
A two-year field experiment was conducted at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, to standardize the N-fertigation schedule and crop residue management in sub-surface drip fertigated (SSDF) maize [Pusa HQPM 1’ improved: double bio-fortified]. The experiment was laid-out in a split-plot design with 3 replications. There were 8 main-plot treatments comprising different N sub-surface drip fertigation levels (0, 50, 75, 100% RDN) with one conventional cultivation of maize, where RDN (150 kg/ha) was applied as per recommendation. Under sub-surface fertigation of N, each dose of N was divided into 3-and 4-splits, for fertigation. Sub-plot treatments included greengram residue (3 t/ha) and no greengram residue incorporation. P and K (60 kg P2 O5 /ha and 40 kg K2 O/ha respectively) fertilizers were supplied equally in all the plots by SSDF. Results revealed that plant height at various stages statistically varied with levels and splits of SSDF-N and crop residue incorporation. The highest plant height and leaf area were recorded with 100% RDN-4S which remained at par with 100% RDN-3S and 75% RDN-4S. Conventional maize cultivation was inferior to ‘RDN100’ and 75%, however on par with 50% RDN. The nitrogen uptake was found significantly superior in 100 and 75%RDN over conventional and control treatments. Similarly, the grain yield of maize was highest under 100% ‘RDN-4’ &3 S, and 75% RDN-4S, which were at par with one another. Overall, it could be concluded that sub-surface fertigation of N not only improved the growth and yield of maize but also helped in 25–50% saving of valuable fertilizer.
References
Anjum, M., Shafi, M., Majid, Ahmad, H., Iqbal, M. O., Saif, U., Shafiullah, M., Jan, M., F. and Liaqat, W. 2018. Influence of split nitrogen application on yield and yield components of various maize varieties. Pure and Applied Biology 79(2): 721–726.
Ayars, J.E., Phene, C.J., Hutmacher, R.B., Davis, K.R., Schoneman, R.A., Vail, S.S. and Mead, R.M. 1999. Sub-surface drip irrigation of row crops: a review of 15 years of research at the Water Management Research Laboratory. Agricultural Water Management 42: 1–27.
Bamboriya, S.D., Dhar, S., Upadhyay, P.K., Dass, A., Meena, R.P. and Garg, K. 2023. Evaluation of maize (Zea mays) genotypes under different nitrogen levels in a Trans-Gangetic Plains region. Indian Journal of Agronomy 68(4): 368-372: https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v68i4.5456.
Bouman, B.A.M. 2009. How much water does rice use? Rice Today 8: 28–29.
Choudhary, A.K., Thakur, R.C., Kumar, N. 2008. Effect of integrated nutrient management on soil physical and hydraulic properties in rice-wheat crop sequence in north-western Himalayas. Indian Journal Soil Water Conservation 36(2): 97–104.
Dass, A., Kaur, R., Choudhary, A.K., Pooniya V., Rana, D.S., Raj, R. and Rana K.S. 2015. System of rice (Oryza sativa L.) intensification for higher productivity and resource-use efficiency–A review. Indian Journal of Agronomy 60(1): 1–19.
Dass, A., Chandra, S., Choudhary, A.K., Singh, G. and Sudhishri, S. 2016. Influence of field re-ponding pattern and plant spacing on rice root-shoot characteristics, yield, and water productivity of two modern cultivars under SRI management in Indian Mollisols. Paddy and Water Environment 14: 45–59.
Dhayal, D., Lal, K., Khanna, M., Sudhishri, S., Brar, A.S., Sindhu, V.K., Singh, M., Bhattacharyya, R., Rajath, E., Rosin, K.G. and Chakraborty, D. 2023. Performance of surface and subsurface drip fertigated wheat-moongbean-maize cropping system under different irrigation schedules and nutrient doses. Agricultural Water Management 284: 108338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108338.
Dube, K.G. 2011. Absolute growth rate, leaf area index, leaf: stem ratio and harvest index influenced by organic manures, bio–fertilizers and growth regulators in Stevia rebaudiana. Asiatic Journal of Biotechnology Resources 2: 508–521.
Gharge, P., Karpe, A. and Pranavsingh, P. 2020. Effect of split nitrogen application on growth parameters of maize. International Journal of Chemical Studies 8(3): 1,030–1,033.
Hokmalipour, S. and Darbandi, M. H. 2011. Physiological growth indices in corn cultivars as affected by nitrogen fertilizer levels. World Applied Sciences Journal 15(12): 1,800–1,805.
Kaur, T., Sharma, P.K., Brar, A.S., Vashisht, B.B. and Choudhary, A.K. 2024. Optimizing crop water productivity and delineating root architecture and water balance in cotton–wheat cropping system through sub-surface drip irrigation and foliar fertilization strategy in an alluvial soil. Field Crops Research 309: 109337.
Kumar, A. and Choudhary, A.K. 2023. Food-energy carbon nexus of Himalayan okra–pea cropping system: Impacts of AM-fungi, precision phosphorus and irrigation regimes in an acid Alfisol. Science of Total Environment 899: 165589.
Nelson DW, Sommers LE 1973. Determination of total nitrogen in plant material. Agronomy Journal 65(1): 109–112. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1973.00021962006500010033x.
Pandagale, A.D., Kadam, G.L., Baig, K.S. and Rathod, S.S. 2018. Effect of split application of fertilizers on growth, yield and economics of bt cotton hybrid under rainfed condition. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences 6: 2,319–7,706.
Patra, K., Parihar, C.M., Nayak, H.S., Rana, B., Singh, V.K., Jat, S.L., Panwar, S., Parihar, M.D., Singh, L.K., Sidhu, H.S., Gerard, B. and Jat, M.L. 2021. Water budgeting in conservation agriculture-based sub-surface drip irrigation in tropical maize using HYDRUS-2D in South Asia. Scientific Reports, doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93866-6.
Paungfoo, L.C., Lonhienne, T.G.A., Rentsch, D., Robinson, N., Christie, M., Webb, R.I., Gamage, H.K., Carroll, B.J., Schenk, P.M. and Schmidt, S. 2008. Plants can use protein as a nitrogen source without assistance from other organisms. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 105: 4524–4529.
Pocket Book of Agricultural Statistics, 2022. Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, Pp: 23–50.
Pratap, V., Dass, A., Dhar, S., Babu, S., Singh, V.K., Singh, R., Krishnan, P., Sudhishri, S., Bhatia, A., Kumar, S., Choudhary, A.K., Singh, R., Kumar, P. Sarkar, S.K., Verma, S.K., Kumari, K. and San, A.A. 2022. Co-Implementation of tillage, precision nitrogen, and water management enhances water productivity, economic returns, and energy-use efficiency of direct-seeded rice. Sustainability 14: 11,234.
Rajpoot, S.K., Rana, D.S. and Choudhary, A.K. 2021. Crop and water productivity, energy auditing, carbon footprints and soil health indicators of Bt-cotton transplanting led system intensification. Journal of Environmental Management 300: 11,3732.
Rana, B., Parihar, C.M., Jat, M.L., Patra, K., Nayak, H.S., Reddy, K.S., Sarkar, A., Anand, A., Naguib, W., Gupta, N., Sena, D.R., Sidhu, H.S., Singh, R., Singh, R. and Abdallah, A.M. 2023. Combining sub-surface fertigation with conservation agriculture in intensively irrigated rice under rice-wheat system can be an option for sustainably improving water and nitrogen use-efficiency. Field Crops Research 302: 109074. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2023.109074.
Rana, K.S., Choudhary, A.K., Sepat, S., Bana, R.S. and Dass, A. 2014. Methodological and Analytical Agronomy. PG School, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, India. pp. 276.
Sachin, K.S., Dass, A., Dhar, S., Rajanna, G.A., Singh, T., Sudhishri, S., Sannagoudar, M.S., Choudhary, A.K., Kushwaha, H.L., Praveen, B.R., Prasad, S., Sharma, V.K., Pooniya, V., Krishnan, P., Khanna, M., Singh, R., Varatharajan, T., Kumari, K., Nithinkumar, K., San, A.A. and Devi, A.D. 2023. Sensor-based precision nutrient and irrigation management enhances the physiological performance, water productivity and yield of soybean under system of crop intensification. Frontiers in Plant Science 14: 128,2217.
Scharf, P.C., Wiebold, W.J. and Lory, J.A. 2022. Corn yield response to nitrogen fertilizer timing and deficiency level. Agronomy Journal 94(3): 435–441.
Sharma A.R. and Behera U.K. 2009. Recycling of legume residues for nitrogen economy and higher productivity in maize (Zea mays)–wheat (Triticum aestivum) cropping system. Nutrient Cycling in Agro-ecosystems 83(3): 197–210. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-008-9212-0.
Sharma, A.R. and Dass, A. 2012. Maize. In: Textbook of Field Crop Production: Food Grain Crops, Prasad, Rajendra (Ed.). Directorate of Knowledge Management, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. Vol. 1, pp. 98–136.
