Effect of nano-urea application on yield and economics of kharif maize (Zea mays L.).

An experiment on “Effect of nano-urea application on growth and yield of kharif Maize (Zea mays L.)” was conducted during kharif 2023 at Post Graduate research Farm, Agronomy Section, College of Agriculture, Dhule (Maharashtra). The experiment had three replications with eleven treatments was set up in a randomized block design. In general, the growth attributes like plant height (190.36 cm), number of functional leaves plant-1 (8.82 ) and dry matter accumulation plant-1 (203.63 g) were found to be superior with application of 100% N through urea (T3) which was statistically at par with application of 75% N through urea+ 25% N through three foliar sprays of nano urea at 20, 40 and 60 DAS (T5) and application of 75% N through urea + 25% N through two foliar sprays of nano urea at 20 and 40 DAS (T4). The yield attributing characters such as number of cobs plant-1 (1.33),length of cob without husk (21.28 cm), girth of cob without husk ( 15.04 cm), cob weight with husk (131.62 g), cob weight without husk (119.53 g), number of grains rows cob-1 (14.87), number of grains cob-1 (512.40), grain weight cob-1 (149.91 g) and seed index (100 grain weight) (29.09 g) were significantly maximum under the application of application of 100% N through urea (T3) which was statistically at par with application of 75% N through urea+ 25% N through three foliar sprays of nano urea at 20, 40 and 60 DAS (T5) and application of 75% N through urea + 25% N through two foliar sprays of nano urea at 20 and 40 DAS (T4). The grain yield (66.74 q ha-1) and stover yield (86.76 q ha-1) were significantly more in application of 100% N through urea (T3) which was statistically at par with application of 75% N through urea+ 25% N through three foliar sprays of nano urea at 20, 40 and 60 DAS (T5) and application of 75% N through urea + 25% N through two foliar sprays of nano urea at 20 and 40 DAS (T4). Among the different nutrient management treatments application of 100% N through urea with 60 kg ha-1 P2O5 and 40 kg ha-1 K2O or 75% N through urea+ 25% N through three foliar sprays of nano urea at 20, 40 and 60 DAS 60 kg ha-1 P2O5 and 40 kg ha-1 K2O or 75% N through urea + 25% N through two foliar sprays of nano urea at 20 and 40 DAS 60 kg ha-1 P2O5 and 40 kg ha-1 K2O to maize crop exhibited higher plant height (cm), number of functional leaves plant-1, dry matter plant-1 (g), number of cobs plant-1, length of cob (cm), girth of cob (cm), cob weight with husk (g), cob weight without husk (g), number of grains cob-1, number of grains rows cob-1, grain weight cob-1 (g), test weight (100 grain weight) (g), grain yield (q ha-1), stover yield (q ha-1) than rest of treatments.