Effect of nano DAP on growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L)

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of nano DAP on growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) at the Experimental Block, College of Agriculture, Bheemarayanagudi during kharif 2023.The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three RDF levels (50, 75 and 100% RDF) as main plots and four levels of nano DAP foliar spray at 30 and 60 DAS (control, 2, 4, 6 ml l^-1 of water) as sub plot treatments and were replicated thrice. The result revealed that application of 100% RDF + foliar spray of nano DAP @ 6 ml l^-1 of water recorded significantly higher no.of leaves plant^-1(9.08, 16.36 and 13.74), leaf area plant^-1 (3288, 4872 and 3691 cm^-2 plant^-1) and leaf area index (2.72, 4.06 and 3.08) at 45, 90 DAS and at harvest, respectively. Yield components cob length (23.52), cob girth (15.99), grain.wt. cob^-1(159.59 g cob^-1), grain yield (6486 kg ha^-1) and stover yield (7899 kg ha^-1) and higher nutrient uptake N, P2O5, and K (202.73, 61.69 and 166.98 kg ha^-1, respectively). However, it was on par with application of 100 per cent RDF + foliar spray of nano DAP @ 4 ml litre^-1 of water, 75 per cent RDF + foliar spray of nano DAP @ 6 ml litre ^-1 of water and 75 per cent RDF + foliar spray of nano DAP @ 4 ml litre^-1.