Global Journal of Science Frontier Research, D: Agriculture and Veterinary, Volume 22 Issue 1

Table 4: Number of leaves of Maize/ plant under different treatment, mode of nutrient application and site of the experiment (Screen) Mode of fertilizer Application Fertilizer solid in screen house Fertilizer spray screen house Mean No of leaves in WAP Treatment A B C D A B C D NOL2 5.87a 5.98a 5.97a 6.30a 4.46d 3.58b 4.26b 5.87a NOL4 11.70a 11.80a 11.97a 12.30a 8.82b 6.49d 7.66b-d 10.98a NOL6 19.68a 19.81a 19.88a 20.43a 15.25b 11.71e 13.51b-e 18.79a NOL8 21.60a 21.90a 21.90a 22.50a 16.80b 12.90e 14.88b-e 20.70a Source; Field analysis, 2020 Mean having the same letter across the rows indicate no significant difference using Duncan’s multiple range tests at 5% probability level. Treatments are; A= 100N+40P+30K; B= 120N+50P+40K; C=70N+30P+20K; D=90kg NPK. WAP = weeks after planting d) Maize Plant Height i. Maize plant height as influenced by nutrient levels In the study, maize plant height was significantly influenced by the variation in the level of nutrients and mode of fertilizer application (Table 4). The height of the maize plants under each treatment ranged in the following order; 120N+50P+40K>100N+40P+30K 90kg NPK > 70N+30P+20K with C= 70n+30p+20k having the least height. This finding is synonymous with karasus, 2012 who discovered that vegetative growth increased with increased nutrient application. ii. Maize plant height as influenced by mode of nutrient application The plants treated with solid fertilizer incorporated in the soil one week before planting appeared taller than the plants treated with foliar application both on the field and in the screen house. However, the plants on the field have more luxuriant growth than those in the screen house. The height of the maize plants under inorganic fertilizer NPK 15-15-15 were the tallest, but as in the case of number of leaves (Table 3) there were no significant differences in the maize height under 120N+50P+40K &100N+40P+30K treatments. Table 5: Maize plant height (cm) as influenced by fertilizer types and mode of fertilizer application on the field in 2020 cropping seasons Mode of fertilizer Application Fertilizer solid on field Fertilizer spray on field Mean Plant height/Treat ment A B C D A B C D PLTH2 19,83ab 19.90ab 16.30c 19.70ab 17.20a 14.43ab 15.73ab 13.83ab PLTH4 49.58ab 49.70a 40.75c 49.25ab 43.00a 36.08ab 39.33ab 34.58ab PLTH6 119.60ab 119.80a 97.80c 118.20ab 103.20a 86.60ab 94.40ab 83.00ab PLTH8 198.33ab 198433a 163.00c 197.00ab 172.00a 144.33a 157.33ab 1386.33ab Source; Field analysis, 2020 Mean having the same letter across the rows indicate no significant difference using Duncan’s multiple range tests at 5% probability level. Treatments are; A= 100N+40P+30K; B= 120N+50P+40K; C=70N+30P+20K; D=90kg NPK. WAP = weeks after planting Potential of Bio-Organic Mix as an Alternative to Inorganic Fertilizer in Maize Production in Africa 1 Year 2022 15 © 2022 Global Journals Global Journal of Science Frontier Research Volume XXII Issue ersion I VI ( D )