Effect of combined levels of nitrogen and zinc on yield and yield attributes of kharif maize (Zea mays L.)

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, School of Agriculture, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jagatpura, Jaipur-Rajasthan during kharif season of 2018 to study the effect of combined levels of nitrogen and zinc on yield and yield attributes of maize (Zea mays L.)” The experiment was laid down in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. The maize crop was subjected to three different treatment levels of nitrogen (150,120 and 90 kg ha-1) along with two levels of zinc (15 and 25 kg ha-1) and untreated control which were used and arranged into seven different treatment combinations. It was revealed from the present investigation that the progressive increase in yield () and yield attributes like cob length (17.86 cm), cob weight (121.18 g), cobs/plant (2.66), number of grain rows per cob (14.73), 100 grain weight (24.93 g), harvest index (40.99 g) per ha-1 was noted in combined treatment comprised of 150kg N + 25kg ZnSo4 against significantly minimum in plots with zero application of both nitrogen and zinc (control). The same treatment also gave highest B:C ratio (1.63) and net return of Rs.59108.00 ha-1 as compared to other treatments under study. Thus it is concluded from the present investigation that 150 kg nitrogen ha-1 in combination with 25 kg zinc ha-1 was found more effective in enhancing higher maize yield, yield attributes as well economic parameters than rest of the treatments.