Enhancing Physiochemical Properties and Quality of Maize Through Integrated Nutrient Management

Background: Maize (Zea mays L.) is a staple crop widely cultivated around the world, playing a crucial role in global food security. However, the sustained productivity of maize is threatened by declining soil health and quality due to intensive farming practices and improper nutrient management. Integrated nutrient management (INM) is a judicious use of organic and inorganic sources of nutrient to crop fields for sustaining and maintaining soil productivity. However, the use of appropriate and conjunctive use of application of suitable nutrients through organic and inorganic solely or in combination can provide the solutions to the problems such as increase in the price of inorganic fertilizers and deterioration effect of soil fertility and productivity. Hence, judicious application of these combinations can sustain the soil fertility and productivity. Methods: A field experiment comprising of 12 treatments was carried out in the kharif season of 2022 at the research farm of the Department of Agronomy, School of Agriculture, LPU, Phagwara. Aim of this research was to optimize nutrient availability and enhance soil fertility. Addressing these challenges, the present investigation entitled, enhancing physio chemical properties and nutrient content of maize through integrated nutrient management. Result: Application of 100% RDN+ mixed biofertilizers + FYM+ 1% spray of ZnSO4 + resulted in showed the highest protein content (10.15%), starch content (60.4%) and ash content (1.19%) in maize grains, followed by 75% RDN + Mixed Biofertilizers + FYM + 1% spray ZnSO4 and T11. Additionally, T12 showed the highest available zinc status in the soil with 1.5 kg/ha and the highest available zinc content in grains and straw after harvest with 325.6 mg/kg and 27.3 mg/kg, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of combining various nutrient sources to optimize maize growth and enhance its productivity.