Vol. 3(10), pp.
312-316, October 2015
DOI: 10.14662/ARJASR2015.067 Academic Research Journal of
Copy©right 2015 Agricultural Science and
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
ISSN: 2360-7874 Research
http://www.academicresearchjournals.org/ARJASR/Index.htm
Full Length Research
Optimization of Fertilizer Application Rate for Maize
Crop Grown With Untreated Waste Water
Awais Shakoor1*, Muhammad Ashraf1, Liaqat Shah2, Alam Sher3, Muhammad Shoaib1,
ShahbazHussain1, Shamsur Rehman4
1
Department of Soil and Environmental Science, University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Punjab
2
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, the University of Agriculture Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
3
Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
4
Department of Plant Pathology, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Corresponding Email: awais.shakoor22@gmail.com
Accepted 29 October 2015
Field experiment was conducted to study the effect of waste water with basal dose of NPK on the
morphological traits of maize during 2014. This research was carried out according to randomized
complete block (RCB)design with five replications. The characters studied including germination
percentage, plant height, leaf area, plant wet weight and plant dry weight were measured. The
germination percentage and plant height decreased with reduction in the recommended doses of N, P
and K with application of wastewater. The maximum value were recorded for seed emergence
percentage, leaf area, fresh and dry weight in T1(Full N + Full P + ½ K + waste water),while minimum
value were recorded for seed emergence percentage, leaf area and fresh weight in T9 (Full N, Full P and
full K).It was recommended that application of waste water with NPK could be favorable effects on the
maize crop.
Key words: NPK, waste water, morphological traits, maize.
INTRODUCTION
Maize (Zea mays L.) is the world leading cereal crop. It the world. This crop being the highest yielding cereal crop
belongs to grass family, Poaceae. It is native to America in the world is of significant importance for countries like
and was cultivated about 8, 000 years ago. Because of Pakistan, where rapidly increasing population has already
the highly cross pollinated nature, maize does not survive out stripped the available food supplies. In Pakistan,
probably in its wild form. It is monoecious i.e. the maize is the third important cereal after wheat and rice
staminate and pistillate flowers are borne in isolated (Bukhsh et al., 2011). Intensive cropping system requires
inflorescence on the same plant. It is grown at altitude highly fertilized soils and those soils should be
from sea level to 3300 meters above sea level and from maintained through integrated plant nutrient management
50oN to 40oS latitude as a multi-use crop in temperate, system. The fertilization can affect enzymatic activities
sub-tropical and tropical regions of the world (Ihsan et al., inside the soil profile. Proper applications of waste water
2005).Maize is one of the most widely distributed crops of with inorganic fertilizers can increase the activities of soil
Shakoor et al. 313
micro- organisms and enzymes and soil available nutrient from sowing till harvest. The data collected during the
contents (He and Li, 2004). He and Li, (2004) indicated maize crop season were statistically analyzed by using
that combined application of organic and inorganic the computer statistical program Mstat-C. Analysis of
fertilizers with waste water can increase the activities of variance technique was employed to test the overall
soil invertase and available nutrient content. Furthermore, significance of the data, while the least significance
the application of waste water with chemical fertilizer can difference (LSD) test at P = 0.05 was used to compare
prove to be an excellent procedure in maintaining and the differences among treatment means (Steel et al.,
improving the soil fertility, and increasing fertilizer use 1997).
efficiency. For this reason, it could be helpful to study the
effect of application of waste water with chemical fertilizer
by using integrated nutrient management system, which RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
has been the research focus all over the world. The
influence of different nutrients applied to soil on farmland Data pertaining to germination percentage are presented
ecosystem was different. Therefore, the present study in Table-3. As evident from the table, maximum values of
was carried out to evaluate the effect of different corn germination % age (83.40) were recorded in Full N + Full
variety under the integrated use of inorganic fertilizers P + ½ K + waste water treatments while the minimum
with waste water under the agro-climatic conditions of values were recorded in T9(65.00). The result exhibited
Faisalabad, Pakistan. that all the treatments were statistically significant to each
other for seed germination. The results indicated that
application of waste water with the recommended
MATERIALS AND METHODS fertilizer have a favorable effect on the germination of
maize crop. These results are in opposite with those
The experiment was conducted at the University College reported by Shahnaz and Sheikh (1980) who observed a
of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Pakistan during decrease in % germination when the levels of waste
the year 2014. This research was carried out according to water application were increased. Data in Table 3
randomized complete block (RCB) design with five showed that maximum plant height of 9.85 inches was
replications. To study the effect of different does of NPK obtained in case of T5 after 25 days of seed germination
with waste water on maize crop, pot culture experiment while after 50 days, maximum plant height of 16.25inches
was carried out under field conditions. Different pots were was taken in case of T1 followed by T2 (15.80 inch).
used for the sowing of the seed and each pot was carried Minimum plant height of 6.35 and 11.80 inches was
10 kg of the soil. Six seed were sown in each pot. With a recorded in control as T1 after 25 and 50 days,
daily observation, emergence date was recorded for each respectively. The results of T1, T2, T3 and T5 were
treatment after start of the experiment. Seed germination significantly higher compared to other treatments but
was noted daily up to day 7. A seed was considered were statistically significant to each other. It was
germinated when radical emerged by about 2 mm in concluded from the results that the plant height increased
length. Then the mean germination rate was calculated by addition of waste water with the addition of
according to the following equation: recommended fertilizer for maize crops. These results
R= ∑ n / ∑ D.n also confirmed the findings carried out by Borin and
Where, Sartori (1989 and Tamayo et al. (1997).Data recorded
R is mean germination rate for leaf area are presented in Table 4. Maximum leaf area
n is the number of seeds germinated on day (58.20) was recorded in T1 followed by T3, while
D is the number of days from the start of test minimum leaf area (48.00) was noted in control treatment
as T9. It observed form the result that T1, T3, T5 and T2
Germination percentage was also determined at the had significant effect on leaf area of maize crop. The
end of the test. Plant height was taken with meter rod result exhibited that all the treatments were statistically
after 25 and 50 days. Five plant were randomly selected significant to each other for leaf area. The results are in
from each treatment and leaf area of three leaves (Upper, line with those reported by Pietz et al. (1982) who
Lower, Middle) from each plant were measured with the observed a decline in leaf area with higher rates of waste
help of leaf area machine and average was worked out. water application. The data in Table 4 exhibited that
Fresh weight was calculated by weighing the thinned maximum fresh plant weight (8.40g) was noted in T1
plant sample on electric balance and dry weight of followed by T2 and T4 (3.78g) while minimum fresh plant
o
thinned plants was calculated after drying in oven at 105 weight (3.40g) was showed in T9. The results of all
C by weighing through electric balance. Four numbers of treatments were significantly different to one another. It
irrigations were applied during the growing season. showed that application of waste water at the various
Different doses of fertilizers with waste water were fertilizer rate were having favorable effect on the fresh
applied in the plots. All cultural practices were followed plant weight of maize crop, while further increase in the
314 Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res.
Table1. Different doses of fertilizers with waste water
Treatments Doses
T1 Full N + Full P + ½ K + waste water
T2 ½ N + ½ P + ½ K + waste water
T3 ½ N + Full P + full K + waste water
T4 Full N + ½ P + Full K + waste water
T5 Full N + Full P + nil K + waste water
T6 ½ N + ½ P + Full K + waste water
T7 Full N + ½ P + ½ K + waste water
T8 Full N + nil P + Full K + waste water
T9 (Control) Full N + Full P + Full k
Table 2. Mean Square values
Parameters Replications Treatments Error
(df-4) (df-8) (df-32)
Seed germination (%) 3.87 210.09** 5.80
Plant height after 25 days 1.32 5.22** 0.72
Plant height after 50 days 1.00 8.49** 1.11
Leaf Area 8.31 46.90** 12.82
Plant fresh weight 1.19 13.25** 0.51
Plant dry weight 0.52 0.99** 0.40
** = Highly significant at P≤0.01
rate of waste water application had negative effect on it. CONCLUSIONS
For dry plant weight the data are presented in Table 4. As
showed from the table, maximum values of dry plant After studying the physical parameters i.e. Germination
weight (2.00g) were recorded in T1 and T2 while the Percentage (GP), plan height, plant fresh and plant dry
minimum values were recorded in T7 (0.80g). The result weight. On overall basis Pioneer-3062 genotype of
exhibited that all the treatments were statistically maize was proved to be best with the recommended
significant to each other for dry plant weight. The results doses of N, P and K with waste water and it was most
indicated that application of waste water with the susceptible when K was not applied so its performance
recommended fertilizer rate was having favorable effect could be enhanced by apply more K fertilizers. The hybrid
on the germination of maize crop. Pioneer-3062 gave excellent results with respect to
morphological components as well as, Germination
Percentage (GP), plan height, fresh plant weight, plant
Shakoor et al. 315
Table 3. Effect of different fertilizer on various morphological components
Treatments Seed germination Meansafter 25 days Meansafter 50 days
(%) ( inches) ( inches)
T1
83.40f 9.71c 16.25d
T2
75.40c 9.14bc 15.80cd
T3
79.40cd 8.86bc 15.20bcd
T4
82.26ef 8.98bc 14.80bc
T5
82.46ef 9.85c 14.20b
T6
70.20b 8.60b 15.60cd
T7
70.20b 8.93bc 15.00bcd
T8
76.60cd 8.31b 15.40bcd
T9 (Control)
65.00a 6.35a 11.80a
LSD
3.11 1.10 1.36
Table 4. Effect of different fertilizer on various morphological components
Treatments Leaf Area Fresh weight Dry weight
( g) (g)
T1 58.20d 8.40e 2.00bc
T2 55.00bcd 6.80d 2.00c
T3 56.80cd 5.40c 1.60abc
T4 54.60bcd 6.80d 1.80bc
T5 56.00bcd 5.60c 1.20abc
T6 53.80bcd 4.80bc 1.60abc
T7 52.80bc 4.00ab 0.80a
T8 51.40ab 4.00ab 1.00ab
T9 (Control) 48.00a 3.40a 1.10ab
LSD 4.62 0.92 0.82
dry weight and leaf area. Among different fertilizer ACKNOWLEDGMENT
treatments, maximum value was observed for
morphological components in the case of T1 (Full N + The authors are grateful to the assistant Pro. Dr.
Full P + ½ K + waste water) gave outstanding results as Muhammad Ashraf, Department of Soil Science,
compared to other treatments, in hybrid corn under agro- University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha,
climatic conditions of Sargodha, Punjab Pakistan. Punjab, Pakistan, for his supervision, Guidance and
suggestions in completing this research work.
316 Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res.
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