Effect of Integrated use of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Biochemical and Biological Properties of Maize (Zea mays L.)

An experiment was conducted on the effect of integrated use of organic and inorganic fertilizers on biochemical and biological properties of maize (Zea mays L.) during kharif 2024 at wet land farm of S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati. The experiment was carried out in randomized block design with three replications consisting of ten treatments with Control (T1), 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (T2), farm yard manure @ 10 t ha-1 (T3), Poultry manure @ 2 t ha-1 (T4), 100% recommended dose of fertilizer + soil application of liquid biofertilizers Azospirillum, phosphorous solubilizing bacteria and potassium solubilizing bacteria @ 1.25 litres ha-1 each (T5), 75% recommended dose of fertilizer + soil application of liquid biofertilizers Azospirillum, phosphorous solubilizing bacteria and potassium solubilizing bacteria @ 1.25 litres ha-1 each (T6), 75% recommended dose of fertilizer + farm yard manure @ 10 t ha-1 (T7), 75% recommended dose of fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2 t ha-1 (T8), 75% recommended dose of fertilizer + farm yard manure @ 10 t ha-1 + soil application of liquid biofertilizers Azospirillum, phosphorous solubilizing bacteria and potassium solubilizing bacteria @ 1.25 litres ha-1 each (T9), 75% recommended dose of fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2 t ha-1 + soil application of liquid biofertilizers Azospirillum, phosphorous solubilizing bacteria and potassium solubilizing bacteria @ 1.25 litres ha-1 each (T10). From the experimental results that the application of 75% recommended dose of fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2 t ha-1 + Soil application of liquid biofertilizers viz., Azospirillum, phosphorus solubilizing bacteria and potassium solubilizing bacteria @ 1.25 litres ha-1 each (T10) resulted in the higher microbial population at both flowering and harvesting stages bacteria (70.2 and 60.2 × 106 CFU g-1 of soil), Fungi(25.3 and 21.6 × 103 CFU g-1 of soil) and Actinomycetes (30.3 and 22.2 × 104 CFU g-1 of soil) and higher enzyme activity at both flowering and harvesting stages Acid phosphatase (67.3 and 62.7 µg p-nitrophenol g-1 soil h-1), Alkaline phosphatase(100 and 93 µg PNP g-1 soil h-1), Dehydrogenase(103 and 90 ug TPF g-1 soil day-1) and Urease (69 and 61 µg urea g-1 soil h-1) while the highest kernel yield and stover yield were found to be highest with application of 100% recommended dose of fertilizer + soil application of liquid biofertilizers viz., Azospirillum, phosphorus solubilizing bacteria and potassium solubilizing bacteria @ 1.25 litres ha-1 each (T5).