Economic Selection of Efficient Level of NPK 16:16:16 Fertilizer for Improved Yield Performance of a Maize Variety in the South Guinea Savannah Zone of Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates effects of different levels of NPK 16:16:16 fertilizer on yield and performance of maize. Data sets were obtained from a study conducted at the University of Ilorin Teaching and Research Farm, faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin during the 2010 cropping season. The study was conducted on a maize variety (Swan-1-SR-Y) sourced from Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Abuja, Nigeria using a completely Randomized Design (RCBD) replicated three times. Application of the fertilizer type was done at two equal splits of 2 weeks after planting and immediately after tasseling using ring method of application. The appropriate analysis of variance (ANOVA) model was used to collect observations at 2 weeks interval from week 5 to week 15 after planting on growth variables such as plant height (kg), leaf area (cm²), number of leaves, cob weight (kg) and grain weight (kg) respectively at equally spaced levels 0kg/ha, 30kg/ha, 60kg/ha, 90kg/ha and 120kg/ha of the fertilizer type. Before conducting ANOVA, the data sets were inspected for homogeneity of error variances using Fligner-Killeen test in the R statistical package. Shapiro-Wilk test of normality was used to check normality of the residuals. The normal probability plot showed no indication of outliers and the largest standardized residual was within . NPK 16:16:16 fertilizer level 60 Kg/ha was found to be the most efficient and economical for improving growth and yield performance of the maize variety in the ecological zone. The optimum yield of the maize variety due to application of the NPK 16:16:16 fertilizer levels is in the 13th week after planting.

Keywords: Maize, NPK 16:16:16, Fligner-Killen test, Shapiro-Wilk test, ANOVA, R and RCBD.