Effect of micronutrients and sulphur on yield and nutrient uptake by maize in an alfisol

Maize is the fourth major grain crop grown in Tamil Nadu for poultry feed. Intensive cropping coupled with introduction of high yielding varieties have extensively exhausted the soil fertility with respect to macro and micronutrients. Further, use of S free fertilizers has caused depletion of S in soils. Zinc deficiency in Indian soils and responses to its application on various crops has been reported earlier (Singh, 1999). Next to Zn, B deficiency is wide spread in many soils and in calcareous and coarse textured soils in particular leading to low crop yields. The research carried out on the use of organics. The treatments involving Zn application registered higher DTPA Zn and the treatment of 2.5 kg Zn + 1.5 kg B ha-1 enriched FYM (T5) accounted for higher value of 1.03 mg kg-1 followed by 5.0 kg Zn ha-1) enriched with FYM (T4) with 1.01 mg kg-1.