Effect of nano dap on growth, yield and quality of rabi maize (Zea mays L.)

A field experiment titled “Effect of Nano DAP on Growth, Yield and Quality of Rabi Maize (Zea mays L.)” was conducted during the Rabi season of 2023 at the Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh (Gujarat), on medium black calcareous soil with a pH of 8.18 and EC of 0.42 dS/m. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The findings indicated that the treatment comprising 75% RDF + foliar spray of nano DAP at 6 ml/lit at 20–25 DAS and 40–45 DAS recorded significantly higher values for growth parameters (plant height at 60 DAS and at harvest and number of leaves per plant at 60 DAS and at harvest), as well as yield attributes and yield (number of cobs per plant, number of grains per cob, cob length, grain yield and fodder yield).Economic analysis revealed that the highest net return (₹131,388/ha) was achieved with 75% RDF + foliar spray of nano DAP at 6 ml/lit at 20–25 DAS and 40–45 DAS, whereas the highest B:C ratio (3.46) was observed with 100% RDF.Based on one year of experimentation, it can be concluded that applying 75% RDF + foliar spray of nano DAP at 6 ml/lit at 20–25 DAS and 40–45 DAS provides higher net returns for Rabi maize cultivation in the South Saurashtra Agro-climatic Zone.