| dc.identifier.citation | Jemo, M., Nwoke, C., Pypers, P., & Vanlauwe, B. (2015). Response of maize (Zea mays) to the application of foliar fertilizers in the Sudan and Guinea savanna zone of Nigeria. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science. |
| dc.description.abstract | Soil fertility problems resulting in low maize yields in smallholder farms are common in the West
African moist savanna. The effectiveness of commercial foliar fertilizers in improving maize
growth and yield was evaluated in three savanna agro-ecological zones of Nigeria in two steps.
In step one, eight commercial foliar fertilizers were assessed in a greenhouse study with two soil
types using maize (
Zea
mays L. cv. 2004 TZE-Y POPDT STR C4). The treatments included a
control and a reference that received the optimum concentrations of nutrients. In step 2, three
promising products from the greenhouse study (
Turbotop, Agroleaf General
, and
Agroleaf high-
P
) were evaluated under field conditions to validate the efficacy of products to enhance crop
growth and yield. The foliar products were applied at the rate of 5 kg ha
–1
. The treatments also in-
cluded three rates of P application (0, 30, and 60 kg P ha
–1
) as triple super phosphate (TSP) with
or without foliar fertilizers. In the greenhouse study, differences in maize shoot dry matter yield
and N and P concentrations, attributable to the spraying of the commercial foliar fertilizers, were
observed for both soils. Spraying
Turbotop, Agroleaf General
, and
Agroleaf high-P
gave the
highest shoot dry biomass and N and P uptake compared to other products. Under field condi-
tions, foliar spraying of
Agroleaf high-P
significantly increased the shoot dry biomass of maize
compared with the 0P treatment in all locations. The grain yield of maize ranged from 1 to 4 t
ha
–1
with significant differences across sites. Products with high concentrations of P and N in
their formulation improved maize yield suggesting that appropriate management of P and N re-
sources is a prerequisite for a sustainable maize intensification in the savanna agro-ecologies.Soil fertility problems resulting in low maize yields in smallholder farms are common in the West
African moist savanna. The effectiveness of commercial foliar fertilizers in improving maize
growth and yield was evaluated in three savanna agro-ecological zones of Nigeria in two steps.
In step one, eight commercial foliar fertilizers were assessed in a greenhouse study with two soil
types using maize (
Zea
mays L. cv. 2004 TZE-Y POPDT STR C4). The treatments included a
control and a reference that received the optimum concentrations of nutrients. In step 2, three
promising products from the greenhouse study (
Turbotop, Agroleaf General
, and
Agroleaf high-
P
) were evaluated under field conditions to validate the efficacy of products to enhance crop
growth and yield. The foliar products were applied at the rate of 5 kg ha
–1
. The treatments also in-
cluded three rates of P application (0, 30, and 60 kg P ha
–1
) as triple super phosphate (TSP) with
or without foliar fertilizers. In the greenhouse study, differences in maize shoot dry matter yield
and N and P concentrations, attributable to the spraying of the commercial foliar fertilizers, were
observed for both soils. Spraying
Turbotop, Agroleaf General
, and
Agroleaf high-P
gave the
highest shoot dry biomass and N and P uptake compared to other products. Under field condi-
tions, foliar spraying of
Agroleaf high-P
significantly increased the shoot dry biomass of maize
compared with the 0P treatment in all locations. The grain yield of maize ranged from 1 to 4 t
ha
–1
with significant differences across sites. Products with high concentrations of P and N in
their formulation improved maize yield suggesting that appropriate management of P and N re-
sources is a prerequisite for a sustainable maize intensification in the savanna agro-ecologies.Soil fertility problems resulting in low maize yields in smallholder farms are common in the West
African moist savanna. The effectiveness of commercial foliar fertilizers in improving maize
growth and yield was evaluated in three savanna agro-ecological zones of Nigeria in two steps.
In step one, eight commercial foliar fertilizers were assessed in a greenhouse study with two soil
types using maize (
Zea
mays L. cv. 2004 TZE-Y POPDT STR C4). The treatments included a
control and a reference that received the optimum concentrations of nutrients. In step 2, three
promising products from the greenhouse study (
Turbotop, Agroleaf General
, and
Agroleaf high-
P
) were evaluated under field conditions to validate the efficacy of products to enhance crop
growth and yield. The foliar products were applied at the rate of 5 kg ha
–1
. The treatments also in-
cluded three rates of P application (0, 30, and 60 kg P ha
–1
) as triple super phosphate (TSP) with
or without foliar fertilizers. In the greenhouse study, differences in maize shoot dry matter yield
and N and P concentrations, attributable to the spraying of the commercial foliar fertilizers, were
observed for both soils. Spraying
Turbotop, Agroleaf General
, and
Agroleaf high-P
gave the
highest shoot dry biomass and N and P uptake compared to other products. Under field condi-
tions, foliar spraying of
Agroleaf high-P
significantly increased the shoot dry biomass of maize
compared with the 0P treatment in all locations. The grain yield of maize ranged from 1 to 4 t
ha
–1
with significant differences across sites. Products with high concentrations of P and N in
their formulation improved maize yield suggesting that appropriate management of P and N re-
sources is a prerequisite for a sustainable maize intensification in the savanna agro-ecologies.Soil fertility problems resulting in low maize yields in smallholder farms are common in the West
African moist savanna. The effectiveness of commercial foliar fertilizers in improving maize
growth and yield was evaluated in three savanna agro-ecological zones of Nigeria in two steps.
In step one, eight commercial foliar fertilizers were assessed in a greenhouse study with two soil
types using maize (
Zea
mays L. cv. 2004 TZE-Y POPDT STR C4). The treatments included a
control and a reference that received the optimum concentrations of nutrients. In step 2, three
promising products from the greenhouse study (
Turbotop, Agroleaf General
, and
Agroleaf high-
P
) were evaluated under field conditions to validate the efficacy of products to enhance crop
growth and yield. The foliar products were applied at the rate of 5 kg ha
–1
. The treatments also in-
cluded three rates of P application (0, 30, and 60 kg P ha
–1
) as triple super phosphate (TSP) with
or without foliar fertilizers. In the greenhouse study, differences in maize shoot dry matter yield
and N and P concentrations, attributable to the spraying of the commercial foliar fertilizers, were
observed for both soils. Spraying
Turbotop, Agroleaf General
, and
Agroleaf high-P
gave the
highest shoot dry biomass and N and P uptake compared to other products. Under field condi-
tions, foliar spraying of
Agroleaf high-P
significantly increased the shoot dry biomass of maize
compared with the 0P treatment in all locations. The grain yield of maize ranged from 1 to 4 t
ha
–1
with significant differences across sites. Products with high concentrations of P and N in
their formulation improved maize yield suggesting that appropriate management of P and N re-
sources is a prerequisite for a sustainable maize intensification in the savanna agro-ecologies. |
