Micronutrient-enriched organic amendments for maize cultivation in sod-ic soils: A multivariate analysis perspective

A field experiment was conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Trichy, under the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP), to assess the effect of organic amendments and micronutrient enrichment on maize (Zea mays L.) performance in sodic soil. The study utilized vermicompost (VC) and farmyard manure (FYM) combined with an inorganic micronutrient mixture, applying eleven treatments in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Plant growth (height, leaf area, stem girth) and yield attributes (cob length, cob girth, kernel count, grain weight) were recorded and analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify key influencing traits. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in maize growth and yield by applying a micronutrient mixture at 25 kg ha-1 enriched with VC (1:10) and zinc-solubilizing bacteria (ZSB). This treatment recorded the highest cob length (21 cm), girth (5.41 cm), kernels per cob (573.8 kernels/Cob) and grain weight (3.96 kg), highlighting the synergistic effect of organic amendments, micronutrient enrichment and microbial inoculation. PCA revealed that the first principal component (PC1) captured 96.88 % of the variance, primarily influenced by cob girth, grain weight, stem girth, leaf area and plant height. Biplot analysis effectively distinguished treatment effects, highlighting the efficacy of fortified vermicompost with ZSB. This study emphasizes the potential of integrating organic and inorganic inputs with PCA as a powerful tool for identifying key yield determinants in sodic soils, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices.