Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the Experimental Farm of Nasser’s Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aden, Governorate of Lahg, during 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 growing seasons, to study the effect of nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and zinc fertilization on the vegetative growth of maize (cultivar Knega 36). Split plot design in randomized complete blocks, with four replications was used, constituting 24 treatments, when the combinations of two levels of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers (55+27.5 and 110 +55 kg NP/ ha) in soil Addition, and 12 levels of iron and zinc (0, 0.3 and 0.6 %Fe) equivalent to (0 .180 and 360 ppm) and (0, 0.03, 0.06 and 0.09 %Zn), equivalent to (0, 36.72 and 108 ppm) were applied spraying.
The results of the combined analysis of the two seasons indicated that high level of NP (110+55 kg NP/ha) surpassed significantly in both plant height, ear height, stem diameter, number of leaves and leaf area, which gave the highest value of these attributes (212.72 cm, 90.39 cm, 2.10 cm, 13.96 leaf/plant and 651.81 cm2) respectively . The same treatment also led to early silking date (65.36 days) as well as the maturity date (102.12 days), while no significant effect on tassling was found.
The spray treatment (Fe 0.3+Zn 0.09%) gave a higher significant increase in the growth traits mentioned previously estimated at 12.30, 11.94, 16.13, 23.68 and 24.56%, compared with control. Also the same treatment recorded significant early tussling and silking date arrived at 2.87 and 3.32 days, respectively, compared with control.
The interaction between the different fertilizer elements had significant improve on plant growth attributes the treatment (110 +55 kg NP/ha + Fe 0.3+Zn 0.09%) gave a higher significant increase amounting to 11.51, 11.94, 18.32, 25.99 and 23.39%, compared with control (100% PN) attributes mentioned above, also led to early tussling, silking and maturity dates.