Yield and nutrient uptake of white corn (Zea mays L.) varieties in response to zinc and boron as components of site-specific nutrient management recommendation

Date

5-2014

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

Major Course

Major in Soil Science

College

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Jocelyn D. Labios

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of adding zinc (Zn) and boron (B) to Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM) recommended rate on the yield and nutrient uptake of white corn (Zea mays L.) varieties Pioneer 30w and IPB Var 6. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with fertilizer rates and combinations as main plot and variety as subplot, in the experiment station of the Institute of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, UP Los Baños. Plant height is not significantly affected by the addition of Zn and B. The actual grain yield is higher with Pioneer 30w, which is a hybrid variety, as compared to IPB Var 6, an open-pollinated variety (OPV). However, grain yield level is also not affected by the fertilizer rates and micronutrient addition. At 65 days after planting (DAP), or about tasseling stage of white corn, levels of N, P, K, and Zn in the soil are not significantly different due to the applied fertilizer. At 82 DAP (or about milk stage), soil levels of P and Zn have significant differences.The nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake of the two white corn varieties used in the experiment are also not significantly affected by addition of the micronutrient zinc to the SSNM recommended rate. However, some of the values obtained are higher than treatments without the addition of Zn, implying sufficient indigenous nutrient levels in the soil. The obtained results show that SSNM rate of 100-40-40 kg NPK ha-1 may be sufficient to supply nutrients for improved crop growth and is comparable to high NPK rate (200-120-120 kg NPK ha-1) in the specific environment where the experiment was conducted. Thus, farmers may be recommended to use this application rate and expect to obtain high yields. Moreover, addition of micronutrients like boron and zinc may be an option in nutrient management to increase the yield level of white corn, but this may not be necessary in cases where there may be enough indigenous concentrations in the soil, as shown in this research. Initial soil analyses should be done before applying fertilizer and planting the crop to determine the level of each indigenous nutrient in the soil and to know if addition of the micronutrients is necessary.

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2014 A3 /C67

Document Type

Thesis

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