Enhancing maize profitability through altering split application of nitrogen and potassium at different stages

The research trial was carried out during summer 2023 at Maize Research station, Vagarai to study the effect of altering split schedule and ratio of nitrogen and potassium application on hybrid maize under irrigated conditions. The research trial was laid out in Randomised block design (RBD) with six treatments and four replications. The trial comprises treatments viz., T1 – recommended split (25:100:100% NPK as basal, 50% N on 25 DAS, 25% N on 45 DAS),T2 – Alternate split I (25:100:50% NPK as basal, 50:50:50% N&K on 25 DAS, 25% N on 45 DAS),T3 – Alternate split II (33.3:100:33.3% NPK as basal, 33.3:0:33.3% N&K on 25 DAS,33.3:0:33.3% N&K on 45 DAS),T4 – Alternate split III (25:100:25% NPK as basal, 25:0:25% N&K on 25 DAS, 25:0:25% N&K on 45 DAS, 25:0:25% NPK on 60 DAS), T5 – Alternate split IV (20:100:20% NPK as basal, 20:0:20% NPK on 15 DAS, 20:0:20% NPK on 30 DAS, 20:0:20% NPK on 45 DAS, 20:0:20% NPK on 60 DAS) T6 – Absolute control. Among treatmental combinations, Alternate split IV (20:100:20% NPK as basal, 20:0:20% NPK on 15 DAS, 20:0:20% NPK on 30 DAS, 20:0:20% NPK on 45 DAS, 20:0:20% NPK on 60 DAS) registered higher grain yield, stover yield as well as economic returns. While the lowest yield parameters and economics were registered in control. Based on the experimental results, it could be concluded that split application has paramount effect on increasing yield and thereby increasing the increasing net returns and thereby preventing the wastage of fertilizers.