Effect of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Application on Productivity, Nutrient Uptake and Quality of Teosinte (\u3cem\u3eZea mexicana\u3c/em\u3e L.) Fodder

Teosinte (Zea mexicana L.) is popularly known as Makchari being a close relative of maize. It provides succulent, palatable and nutritive fodder during Kharif season for feeding the animals as green fodder or conserved fodder in the form of silage. Teosinte is an excellent multicut fodder which gives high yield of nutritious green lush fodder in 65-70 days with less inputs as compared to maize. Nitrogen is an essential component of proteins, nucleic acid, enzymes, coenzymes, chlorophyll and cell wall. Phosphorus plays a vital role in crop production as it is involved in CO2 fixation, sugar metabolism, energy storage and transfer. Nutrient deficiency along with imbalanced and non-judicious fertilizers use of the important limiting factor that may affect the yield and quality of teosinte forage. In India about 62% and 49% soils are deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus (Gibson, 2006). The application of nitrogen and phosphorus is considered to be the most important which improves the yield and quality of fodder. The present investigation was under taken to assess the effect of N and P application on productivity, nutrient uptake and quality of teosinte fodder