Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Dual-Purpose Maize Production through Optimized Nutrient Scheduling

Hafiz Saqib Hayat; Muhammad Shaheryar; Atique Ur Rehman; Momna Hayat; Muhammad Nadeem Shah; Abid Hussain

doi:10.38211/joarps.2025.06.322

Authors

Hafiz Saqib Hayat Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, Punjab, 60000, Pakistan;
Muhammad Shaheryar Institute of Agronomy, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab 60800, Pakistan
Atique Ur Rehman Institute of Agronomy, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab 60800, Pakistan
Momna Hayat Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
Muhammad Nadeem Shah School of Business, Indiana Wesleyan University, Georgia Street, Merrillville, IN 46410, USA
Abid Hussain Institute of Agronomy, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab 60800, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38211/joarps.2025.06.322

Keywords:

Nitrogen scheduling, yield components, forage quality, nutrient recovery, split fertilization strategy

Abstract

Timely and effective rate of nitrogen (N) and application is essential in enhancing the maize productivity and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in semi-arid areas of Pakistan. To determine the impacts of five N-rates, N₀-N₄ (0, 80, 120, 160, and 200 kg N ha^-1) and three split applications S₁ (whole sowing), S₂ (two splits - 1/2 at sowing + 1/2 at tasseling) and S₃ (three splits - 1/3 at sowing + 1/3 knee height, and 1/3 at tasseling) on maize were applied. The findings indicated that there was a significant increase in growth and yield characteristics with increasing N rate and in split application. The highest performance shown in N₄ and S₃ as, plant height (232.60 and 210.80 cm), cob length (23.27 and 21.8 cm), cob diameter (6.63 and 5.97 cm), grain rows per cob (15.78 and 14.93 cm), grains per cob (574 and 502), and hundred grain weight (32.96 and 29.25 g) was measured. Similarly, the highest grain yield (8.14 and 7.69 t ha^-1), and biological yield (27.75 and 25.72 t ha^-1) was observed under N₄ and S₃ which was (32.3 and 13.1 %), and (60.6 and 23.0%) higher than the lowest control treatments as N₀ and S₁. The forage performance also increased as the green fodder yield was improved to 43.56 t ha^-1 (42.5%), dry matter yield 18.39 t ha^-1, crude protein content was raised to 10.26% and crude protein yield (202.03 kg ha^-1in S₁ and N₀) was upgraded 194%. As NUE was highest at the moderate rates of N, whereas the largest Partial Factor Productivity (PFP) (74.71 kg kg^-1), Agronomic Efficiency (AE) (48.59 kg kg^-1), Recovery Efficiency (RE) (61.68%), and Physiological Efficiency (PE) (84.09 kg kg^-1) were obtained at S₃ and 80 kg N ha^-1. In general, three-split N application at a moderate and higher N rate maximized the productivity of maize and the efficiency of nitrogen utilization.

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