EFFECT OF MINERAL FERTILIZER INTEGRATION WITH ORGANIC MANURE ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF MAIZE (Zea mays l.)

Two field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of integrated nutrients on growth, yield and quality of maize (Zea mays L.) c.v. single hybrid 30K8. Maize plants were grown in a sandy loam soil of El-kasasin (30º 33׳ 31״ N- 30° 56׳ 7״ E, elev. 15.8 m), region, IsmailiaGovernorate, Egypt during the summer seasons of 2013 and 2014. The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design in three replicates contained the following treatments: (T₁) recommended NPK (Control), (T₂) Compost(10 m³ /Fed.), (T₃) Compost +PK, (T₄) Compost +N, (T₅) Compost +NP, (T₆) Compost +NPK, (T₇) Compost +NPK +Mg and (T₈) Compost +NK.
The results indicated that the recommended dose of NPK+ Mg + compost (T₇) significantly increased all the studied parameters. The application of compost +NPK +Mg (T₇) gave the highest grain yield (3745 Kg/fed) which was13.66 % higher than the control (3295Kg/fed) and 25% more than the sole compost (2996 Kg/fed). Different treatments of compost in combination with inorganic fertilizers resulted in high  significantly increases of growth and yield of maize, i. e., plant height, ear characters (length, diameter and weight) as well as grain yield/fed., enhanced nutrition and quality of grain  compared to control and compost alone.
The application of inorganic fertilizer combined with compost showed higher concentration of N, P and K in grains as compared to compost alone. Total soluble sugars, starch and total carbohydrate contents of grains varied within the ranges of 1.75-2.55%, 61.5-72.2% and 63.25-74.55%, respectively.
In general, compost as a manure in combination with inorganic fertilizers has been suggested to obtain better growth, yield and quality parameters (protein and oil yield, total carbohydrate, total soluble sugars (TSS) and starch) of maize under conditions of sandy loam soils.