Global Maize Project in India: Ranchi, Jharkhand - Site Specific Nutrient Management in Maize-Wheat cropping system in Ranchi, Jharkhand

The long-term evaluation of ecological intensification (EI) and farmers’ fertilization practices (FFP) continued in 2012-13 on a farm of Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand. The highest grain yields of maize (5.2 t/ha) and wheat (3.2 t/ha) were obtained with the NPK treatment (180:90:100 kg/ha for maize and 130:70:60 kg/ha for wheat). The NPK treatment recorded 74 % higher grain yield over FFP. In another experiment on the effect of application rate and the timing of N fertilization, the treatment that received application of N in maize at 160 kg/ha in three splits on the basis of leaf color chart (LCC) recorded the maximum yield of 8.0 t/ha. In wheat, 150 kg N/ha application in three splits dose on the basis of LCC resulted in the highest grain yield of 3.8 t/ha. Higher nutrient uptake by crop was recorded with higher levels of N application.

Under the omission plot experiments, a maize yield of 6.3 t/ha was achieved with the incorporation of wheat straw and ample NPK (250:120:120 kg/ha), which was on a par with the yield obtained (5.3 t/ha) with site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) treatment (200:90:100 kg/ha of N:P:K, respectively). The highest maize yield without incorporation of wheat straw was 5.2 t/ha, but with SSNM, it decreased to 3.6 t/ha. However, in wheat (rabi) the highest yields of 4.2 and 4.9 t/ha were found with 150:110:100 kg/ha of N:P:K application, respectively, with and without the incorporation of maize straw. This was followed by SSNM (120:70:60 kg/ha N:P:K, respectively) with yields of 4.3 and 3.8 t/ha with and without residue incorporation, respectively.