OPTIMIZING FODDER CROP PRODUCTIVITY IN MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) VARIETY KAPTAN UNDER FARMYARD MANURE AND BORON APPLICATION LEVELS STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCED YIELD AND QUALITY

The experiment was conducted during Kharif, 2023 to study the growth and fodder yield performance of maize (Zea mays L.) variety Kaptan under farmyard manure and boron application levels. The experiment was laid at the Research Farm, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan in a three replicated Randomized complete block design. The treatments included T1 = Control (No Fertilizer), T2 = FYM 1 ton + boron 1 kg, T3 = FYM 3 ton + boron 2 kg, T4 = FYM 5 ton + boron 3 kg, T5 = FYM 7 ton + boron 4 kg and T6 = FYM 9 ton + boron 5 kg. The results showed that the FYM 9 ton + boron 5 kg resulted maximum 81.35% plant population (m2 ) , 187.94 cm plant height, 4.98 cm stem girth, 12.70 number of leaves plant-1 and 26.95 tons ha-1 food yield. The maize crop under control (no fertilizer) with minimum 57.95% plant population (m2 ), 106.95 cm plant height, 2.41 cm stem girth, 5.10 number of leaves plant-1 and 5.1 tons ha-1 food yield. Upon reviewing the current research findings, it was determined that there is a simultaneous increase in the growth and yield of maize when applying higher levels of Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and boron; and the maize fertilized with FYM 9 ton + boron 5 kg resulted in highest fodder yield (26.95 tons ha-1 ), followed by FYM 7 ton + boron 4 kg (25.36 tons ha-1 ) and FYM 5 ton + boron 3 kg (19.47 tons ha-1 ). Maize variety Sarhad yellow may be preferred for better yield performance under climatic condition of Tandojam, Sindh, Pakistan.