Effect of organic and NPK fertilizers on production of maize (Zea Mays L.) and selected soil properties

This study was conducted to determine the effects of organic fertilizer (Wonderful®) and inorganic fertilizer (NPK green) on the growth and yield of maize plants and selected soil properties. The experiment was arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) covering a span of three months. The treatments were: control or 0 kg fertilizer (T1), 400 kg ha-1 NPK green (T2), 750 kg ha-1 Wonderful® fertilizer (D), 200 kg ha-1 NPK green + 375 kg ha-1 Wonderful® fertilizer (T4), 267 kg ha-1 NPK green + 250 kg ha-1 Wonderful® fertilizer (T5), and 133 kg ha-1 NPK green + 500 kg ha-1 Wonderful® fertilizer (T6). Each treatment was replicated five times. Plant height, days to flowering, fresh weight of maize cob, total dry weight of maize plant, soil organic matter, total organic carbon, soil pHKcl, pHH20, soil total nitrogen, available soil phosphorus, and cation exchange capacity were measured and all data were analyzed using ANOVA at 5 % level of significance. Significant growth (P 0.05) resulted between all fertilizer treatments for both fresh weight of maize cobs and some of the selected soil properties (soil organic matter, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and soil pHkcl' Mean total dry weight was significantly higher for all fertilizer treatments than the control. Results of the study also showed significantly higher soil pHH20' available soil phosphorus, and cation exchange capacity for D compared to the control, indicating that the sole application of organic fertilizer helps to improve some of the selected soil properties. Results of the study showed that combining organic and inorganic fertilizers helped to increase maize plant height, hasten the days to flowering and resulted in better total dry weight than that for either organic or NPK treatments alone. The combined use of organic and NPK fertilizer would reduce the application rate of NPK fertilizers in maize crop production. T5 is cheaper and it is superior in terms of growth and fresh and dry weight of maize plants and cob production as compared to other combined application treatments of both organic and inorganic fertilizers. Similar studies for longer period and crop cycles can be done in the field to further ascertain the effects on the yield parameters and selected soil properties