RESPONSE OF MAIZE CULTIVARS TO FOLIAR APPLICATION OF ORGANIC AND NANO-COMPOUND NPK FERTILIZERS

The experiment proceeded in the Telafer site during the year 2022, with two seasons (spring and autumn) to study two maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars (Furat and Dijla) and eight levels of fertilizers (control treatment, 120 kg N15P15K15 ha-1 of traditional compound fertilizer, 1.5 and 3 g liter-1 of N20P20K20 nano fertilizer, 1 and 2 ml liter-1 of Optimum Plus organic fertilizer, 1.5g liter-1 of N20P20K20 nano fertilizer + 1 ml liter-1 of organic fertilizer, and 3 g liter-1 of N20P20K20 nano fertilizer + 2ml liter-1 of organic fertilizer) on yield traits of the maize grain. The research employed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) using the split-plot system, with the cultivars placed in the main plots, and the fertilizers in the secondary plots. Results indicated that the Furat cultivar excelled in all yield traits in the two seasons, except for the weight of the cob and the weight of 500 grains in the autumn season; cultivar Dijla was superior in the biological yield for the two seasons. As for the fertilizers, the treatment 2ml L-1 of the organic fertilizer achieved the highest rate in all studied traits for both seasons, except for the traits cob weight and biological yield, where the treatment was superior in 3 g L-1 of the N20P20K20 nanofertilizer. The interaction showed significant differences in all studied traits of maize in both seasons.