RESPONSE OF FORAGE MAIZE (ZEA-MAYS) TO AZOTOBACTER INOCULATION AND NITROGEN

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy seasons of 1990 and 1991 at Palampur, to study the response of 'African Tall' forage maize (Zea mays L.) to Azotobactor inoculation and N. The highest values of green-fodder, dry-matter and crude-protein yields and yield attributes of maize were obtained by inoculation of maize seed with Azotobactor chroococcum. Azotobactor inoculation helped in saving fertilizer N equivalent to the 7.0 kg/ha compared with no inoculation. Response to nitrogen fertilization was significant up to 120 kg/ha for green-fodder, dry-matter and crude-protein yields.