Foliar applied potassium and zinc enhances growth and yield performance of maize under rainfed conditions

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted for two years (2013 and 2014) to study the effect of foliar spray of potassium and zinc on maize crop under rainfed environment. Nine treatments were examined as: control, recommended rate of zinc (RRZn) to soil @ 15 kg Zn2SO4 ha-1, foliar zinc spray (FZS) @ 0.1%, recommended rate of potassium to soil (RRK) @ 75 kg K2O ha-1, RRK + RRZn, RRK+ FZS, foliar potassium spray (FKS) at 1% concentration, FKS + RRZn, FKS + FZS. The experiments were arranged in split plot with three replications. All integrated and individual foliar sprays of potassium and zinc surpassed all other treatments. Among all foliar treatments, integrated use of foliar potassium and zinc spray at 25 and 50 days after sowing (DAS) @ 1.0 and 0.1%, respectively enhanced all plant growth, yield, physiological and quality traits of maize. The highest 1000 grain weight (g) and grain yield (kg ha-1) were recorded under the combined foliar spray of potassium and zinc (FKS + FZS), followed by FKS + RRZn and RRK+ FZS. Greater net benefit and benefit cost ration were examined under all foliar sprays. Foliar spray of potassium and zinc is a fertilizer use efficient technique for increasing the maize yield attributes and net income under rainfed conditions.