Effect of zinc and iron on growth and yield of hybrid maize (Zea mays L.)

An experiment was conducted during Kharif season at SVPUAT, Meerut, to know the effect of N, P, K, vermicompost, Zinc and Iron on the growth, yield and its attributing characters in hybrid maize. The experiment consisted of eight treatments viz., T1, Control (NPK 120:60:60); T2, T1 + Soil applied Zn and Fe each @ 5 kg/ha; T3, T1 + Soil applied Zn and Fe each @ 10 kg/ha; T4, T1+Soil applied Zn and Fe each @ 20 kg/ha; T5, T1 + Soil applied Zn and Fe each @10 kg/ha + vermicompost (1.5 t/ha); T6, T1 + Vermicompost @ 1.5 t/ha; T7, T1+Soil applied Zn and Fe each @ 5 kg/ha + foliar spray each @ 0.1% at tasseling stage; T8, T1+Foliar spray Zn and Fe each @ 0.1% at 25 DAS and at tasseling stage in Randomize Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Physical characters, grain yield and stover yield of maize were found significantly (p≤ 0.05) higher in T5 and T6 as compared to other treatments. Results showed that application of Zn, Fe and vermicompost combination in soil significantly increased the biological yield of maize.