EFFECT OF FERTILIZERS ON THE FODDER YIELD AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF MAIZE

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of fertilizers on the fodder yield and nutritive value of maize. Urea (T2), Nat-soil (T3) and Wonder (T4) fertilizers were applied with No fertilizer (T1 – control) laid out in a completely randomized design experiment. The agronomic parameters estimated include number of leaves, plant height, plant width, leaf length, leaf width, number of cob, and cob weight. The result of this experiment indicated that T4 was significantly higher (p<0.05) in plant height, plant width, leaf number, leaf length, leaf width, stem girt and yield parameters compared to other fertilizer treatments. However, the agronomic and yield parameters of all the fertilizer treatments were significantly better (p<0.05) than the control treatment. The chemical analysis of maize hay, T1 had the highest DM value (29.95%) while T4 had the least DM value (27.50%). T4 had the highest CP value (12.19%) while T2 and T3 had relatively the same CP value (10.6% and 10.64% respectively) as the least CP value was recorded in T1. The CF value was higher in T1 and T4 (32.32% and 32.40% respectively) as the least CF value (30.34%) was recorded in T3. T2 had the highest ADF value (43.21%) while T4 had the least ADF value (35.85%). T3 had the highest NDF value while T1 had the least value. It could be concluded that maize treated with fertilizers had better growth, yield as well as nutritive value. However, maize treated with wonder fertilizer showed outstanding response.