Maize grain yield formation depending on macro- and microfertilizers

Abstract

The research results of the foliar fertilization influence with different levels of mineral nutrition on the maize grain yield were presented, and the economic efficiency of growing of grain products was clarified. It was found that when increasing the mineral fertilizer dose from N30P30K30 to N45P45K45 and N60P60K60, the height of plants increased by 3 and 7 cm, the leaf surface area of one plant – by 4.8 and 10.9 %, respectively. Due to foliar fertilization, the height of plants increased by 2–5 cm, and the leaf area changed insignificantly. Depending on the background of mineral nutrition, it was accounted 98–99 ears per 100 maize plants, and in the case of foliar fertilization – 98–100 ears. The maize grain yield on the background of N30P30K30 was 7.56 t/ha, on the background of N45P45K45 and N60P60K60 – 8.65 and 8.68 t/ha, respectively. In the control variant (without spraying) the yield was 7.77 t/ha, and when plants fertilizing with urea (15 kg/ha) – 8.09 t/ha. The grain yield in the variants with maize plant fertilizing with a mixture of urea and micronutrients reached to 8.30–8.78 t/ha. The prime cost of 1 ton of maize grain when growing on the background of N30P30K30 was 1808 UAH, with increasing the fertilizer dose to N45P45K45 and N60P60K60 – 1781 and 1903 UAH, respectively. In the control variant, it was equal to 1828 UAH, in the variants under maize fertilization with urea (15 kg/ha) or a mixture of urea and micronutrients – 1827–1836 UAH. The conditional profit on the background of N30P30K30 was 21878 UAH/ha, it enlarged to 24264–25265 UAH/ha in the case of fertilizer dose increasing. In the control variant (without spraying) the conditional profit was equal to 22310 UAH/ha, when plants were fertilized with urea (15 kg/ha) – 23257 UAH/ha, with a mixture of urea and micronutrients – 23823–25155 UAH/ha. The highest level of profitability (163.9 %) was on the background of N45P45K45; the impact of foliar fertilization on this indicator was insignificant. Key words: maize, fertilizers, foliar fertilization, grain yield, economic efficiency.