Yield and vegetation index of different maize varieties and nitrogen doses under normal irrigation

Nitrogen is essential nutrient that supports the growth and yield of corn. The correct dose of nitrogen fertilization is one of the keys to increasing corn productivity by its yield potential. Using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) drones, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) can be obtained, which can provide accurate information about the health condition of plant vegetation directly. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of nitrogen fertilizer dose and type of maize variety on crop production and vegetation index obtained through UAV technology. This study was designed with a separate plot design and a group randomized design as the environmental design. The research was conducted by applying various doses of nitrogen (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250) and maize varieties (Sinhas, Nasa 29, HJ 36, Bisi 18, and Pioneer). The combination of all treatments resulted in 35 combinations and was repeated three times, resulting in 105 experimental units. Vegetation condition measurements were conducted using drones at time intervals (40, 55, and 70 DAP). Selection criteria were determined systematically through Pearson correlation, path, and principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that higher nitrogen doses increased NDVI values, which reflected better vegetation health and contributed to increased crop yields. The PCA results showed that four principal components had eigenvalues greater than 1 with a cumulative proportion of 0.21. This research indicates that using optimal nitrogen doses and vegetation health monitoring using UAVs can significantly increase maize yields. These findings provide valuable insights to increase maize production through the best maize cultivation technologies that farmers can use.