Influence of site-specific nutrient management on growth and yield of maize (Zea mays) under conservation tillage

A field experiment was conducted at New Delhi during rainy (kharif) season of 2013, to study the effect of nutrient management on growth and development behaviour of maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), SPAD value, dry-matter accumulation, leaf-area index, crop growth rate (CGR) and relative growth rate (RGR) were significantly higher with site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) over the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) under conservation agriculture. Of the maize–genotypes ‘CMH 08–292’ recorded significantly highest dry-matter accumulation at various stages and CGR, while ‘PMH 1’ recorded higher NDVI, SPAD, leaf-area index and RGR. Cobs/plot, cob length and girth, grain rows/cob, grains/row, cob yield, shelling, harvest index and grain yield were significantly higher with SSNM over RDF. ‘PMH 3’ recorded significantly higher cobs/plot, cob length and girth, grains/row, cob yield and grain yield, whereas ‘S 6217’ recorded significantly higher grain rows/cob and harvest index, while significantly higher shelling was recorded with ‘CMH 08–292’.