Mineral Composition of Dry Season Maize (Zea mays L.) in Response to Varying Levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Irrigation at Kadawa, Nigeria

Abstract

2 Abstract: A field experiment was conducted in the 1998 dry season at Kadawa, Nigeria to determine the effect of different levels of nitrogen (0, 60, 120 or 180 kg N ha ), phosphorus (0, 20 or 40 kg P ha ) and irrigation 11 (0.6, 0.8 or 1.0 IW/CPE ratio) on nutrient concentration and accumulation in maize. The experiment was a split plot design with four replications, the main plot was nitrogen level x irrigation frequency and the sub-plot being phosphorus level. Varying levels of nitrogen and phosphorus influenced the concentration of nutrients in the grain and stover significantly. Nutrient concentration either increased or decreased with increasing N and P application levels. However, increasing levels of nitrogen and phosphorus application either significantly enhanced the accumulation of nutrients in the grain and stover or failed to influence nutrient accumulation and in the same vein the uptake of nutrients by the maize plant. Irrigation frequency influenced nutrient concentration and accumulation in maize very minimally but increase frequency significantly increased concentration and accumulation for certain nutrients. Nitrogen x phosphorus interactions were significant for P concentration and N accumulation in maize grain.