EFFECT OF BOOST – EXTRA FOLIAR FERTILIZER AND NPK ON GROWTH RATE OF TWO MAIZE (Zea mays L.) VARIETIES GROWN IN MUBI, NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNAH ZONE, NIGERIA

Mohammed Dahiru Toungos

Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Adamawa State University, P.M.B 25, Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria.

Email: dahiru.tounos@gmail.com

Accepted September 18, 2017

Field experiments conducted in 2011 and 2012 cropping seasons at Food and Agriculture Organization/Tree Crop Programme (FAO/TCP) Teaching and Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Adamawa State University, Mubi, Northern Guinea Savannah zone of Nigeria, to determine the effects of Boost Extra foliar fertilizer and soil applied NPK on growth performance of two maize varieties (Oba 98 and TZESR-W). A split plot design was adopted for the study with varieties as main plots and seven fertility levels as sub-plots. These were combinations of soil-applied NPK and Boost Extra foliar fertilizers (0.0.0 kg/ha NPK + 0 Boost Extra; 120: 60:60 kg/ha NPK + 6 Lha^-1 Boost Extra; 90:45:45 kg/ha NPK + 6 Lha^-1 Boost Extra; 60:30:30 kg/ha NPK + 6 Lha^-1 Boost Extra; 30:15:15 kg/ha NPK + 6 Lha^-1 Boost Extra; 0:0:0 kgha^-1 NPK + 6 L/ha^-1 Boost Extra; 120:60:60 NPK + 6 Lha^-1 Boost Extra), replicated 3 times. The results revealed that maize characters (plant height, stem girth, shoot dry matter, cob diameter, 100 grain weight) were found to increase with increased application of NPK rate of 90:45:45 kgha^-1 + 6 Lha^-1 Boost – Extra foliar fertilizer. It is recommended that application of 90: 45: 45 kgha^-1 of NPK in combination with 6 Lha^-1 Boost Extra foliar fertilizers gives best result in maize production in Northern Savannah Zone.

Key words: Maize, varieties, NPK, Boost Extra, Yield, Oba 98, TZESR-W.

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