Effect of phosphorus, boron and lime on maize productivity and soil properties in an acid Alfisol
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Date
2022-12-29
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
CSK HPKV, Palampur
Abstract
A field experiment was carried out during kharif 2021 on maize (Zea mays L.) at the
experimental farm of the Department of Soil Science, COA, CSKHPKV, Palampur. The experiment
comprised eighteen treatments with three levels of phosphorus (0, 75 and 100% of recommended
P2O5 ha -1
), 3 levels of boron (0, 1.0 and 2.0 kg B ha-1
) and two levels of lime (0 and lime @100%
of lime requirement), replicated thrice in a randomized block design to evaluate the effect of
phosphorus, boron and lime application on maize productivity and soil properties in an acid Alfisol.
Application of 60 kg P2O5 ha-1
, 2.0 kg B ha-1 as well as application of lime registered better growth
and yield attributes. The interactions (P × L, B × L, P × B) were significant only in the case of plant
height and were not found significant on the number of cobs plant-1
, the number of rows cob-1
, cob
length and test weight. Application of 60 kg P2O5 ha-1
recorded significantly higher grain (49.1 q
ha-1
) and stover yield (65.7 q ha-1
). Similarly, the application of 2.0 kg B ha-1
recorded significantly
higher grain and stover yields (47.9 and 65.5 q ha-1
, respectively). Lime application also resulted in
a significant increase in both grain and stover yields (13.4 and 18.7%, respectively) over control.
Nutrient uptake (N, P, K and B) by maize, protein content and protein yield were enhanced with the
application of 60 kg P2O5 ha-1
, 2.0 kg B ha-1
and liming. A marked increase in soil pH was observed
only with the lime application. Soil organic carbon was not affected significantly by applying
varying P and B levels as well as liming. Available N, P and B were significantly higher with the
application of 60 kg P2O5 ha-1
, 2.0 kg B ha-1 and lime application. However, available K was not
affected significantly by the application of phosphorus and boron whereas, liming increased the
available K content of soil. Microbiological properties viz., microbial count of bacteria, fungi and
actinomycetes, microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen also improved with the
application of 60 kg P2O5 ha-1
, 2.0 kg B ha-1
and lime application except for fungal count which
decreased with the lime application and soil urease activity, which recorded no significant change
with B application. Despite, the highest cost of cultivation, application of 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 and B @
2.0 kg ha-1 along with lime has been found to be most remunerative in terms of gross and net returns,
though the benefit-cost ratio was comparatively lower owing to the higher cost involved in liming.
But expecting the residual effects of liming on succeeding crops, the application of 60 kg P2O5 ha-1
and B @ 2.0 kg ha-1 and liming @ 100% LR may be considered ideal for realizing higher yield and
net returns.