Effects of Potassium and Rice Husk Biochar on the growth, yield, and eating quality of Glutinuous Maize (Zea mays L.)

This study was carried out at the Facultyo f SustainableA griculture( FSA),Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Sandakan, Sabah (5°55'4" N 118°0'8" E) to know the effects of different rates of potassium incorporated with rice husk biochar on the growth, yield, and eating quality of glutinous maize planted on Silabukan soil. The first objective of this study was to determine the optimum rate of potassium needed for growth, yield, and eating quality of glutinous maize. The second objective of this study was to investigate the differences in soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content before and after the experiment was carried out. This study was conducted from April 2016 until October 2016. The experimental design that was used in this experiment was complete randomized design (CRD). There are 7 treatments involved in this study and each treatment carried a different rate of potassium incorporated with 20 tonne ha-1 rice husk biochar, between 40 tonne ha-1 to 90 tonne ha-1. Each treatment had three replications. Data collected was analyzed using one-way ANOVA at 5% significance level. The results shown for vegetative growth of glutinous maize showed that treatment 6 produced the highest plant height with 235.57 cm while treatment 4 produced the highest average number of leaves with 14.7. In terms of yield components of glutinous maize, treatment 5 recorded the highest average number and dry weight of cobs with 2.33 and 8.02 g respectivelyT. reatment 3 resultedt he highesta verageo f first cob height and weight of cob, with 127.33 cm and 70.69 g respectively. Treatment 4 also recorded the longest average length of cob with 10.5 cm. Treatment 2 recorded the highest average of cob diameter with 4.15 cm. Treatment 7 showed the highest average number of grains with 274 grains. Furthermore, in term of eating quality of glutinous maize, treatment 6 showed the highest average of total soluble solids with 17.3°. Additionally, based on the results obtained for soil analysis of Silabukan soil, treatment 2 and treatment 4 shared the same record showing the highest average soil pH at 4.31 while, treatment 5 recorded the highest nitrogen content with 2.088%. Basedo n the results obtained,t here are a few recommendationsm ade which are treatment 3 is the most recommended practice to the farmers since it helps in producing better glutinous maize yield as they recorded highest production of cob, weight of cob, number of grains and extrapolated yield with 2.0,70.69 g, 222.67 and 3.39 tonne per ha respectively. It also produced higher plants height with 230.13 cm. The rate of potassium applied on Silabukan soil was 50 tonne ha-1 incorporated with 20 tonne ha-1 of rice husk biochar. Treatment 4 is the second most recommended practice to the farmers. These maize plants produced the highest number of leaves with a mean of 14.67. In terms of yield component, this treatment resulted in longer cobs as compared to the other treatments, with an average of 10.5 cm. For soil analysis, treatment 4 also showed the highest soil pH value even though it may not have reached the required level with 4.31