Phosphorus Priming and Nitrogen Application Enhance Corn Yield and Nitrogen Availability in Alkaline Calcareous Soils

Corn is a crucial crop for local communities and the global food system. Various amendments are used to increase corn yield in semi-arid climates, but the response to fertilization and seed priming at different moisture regimes is not well documented. An experiment was conducted at the University of Agriculture's research farm in Peshawar, Pakistan 2014, involving three variables: moisture regimes (low and high), seed priming (dry seed, water-soaked seed, and seed primed with 0.2 percent phosphoric acid solution), and nitrogen levels (0, 75, 150 kg ha-1). The study found that seed priming and nitrogen levels significantly impacted plant height, leaf area, number of leaves per plant, grain cobs, 1000-grain weight, biological yield, stover yield, grain yield, and harvest index. The number of leaves in the normal irrigation area was lower than in a standardly irrigated field due to low irrigation. A higher moisture regime produced more leaves, more nitrogen uptake, and a maximum thousand-grain weight. A higher nitrogen level resulted in increased plant height, more leaves, grains cobs-1, thousand-grain weight, nitrogen uptake, harvest index, maximum grain yield, biological yield, and stover yields. Priming seeds with P-primed seeds increased plant height, leaf area, grain weight, nitrogen uptake, harvest index, biological yield, grain yield, and stover yield at 150 N kg ha-1. The minimum values of all parameters were noted for control plots. Based on the good crop yield in the Peshawar region, farmers are encouraged to use both high and low moisture regimes. The use of nitrogen at 150 kg ha-1 in combination with 0.2% P priming results in maximum corn yield and adequate nitrogen uptake when seedbeds moisture is high.