Assessment of the Effects of Fertilizer Applications on Gray Leaf Spot and Yield in Maize

Abstract

The effects of the application of 0, 60, and 120 kg N ha-1 and of 0, 25, 50, and 150 kg K ha-1 on final disease severity, standardized area under disease progress curve, and grain yield were investigated at Cedara, South Africa, on a maize (Zea mays) hybrid susceptible to gray leaf spot (GLS), caused by Cercospora zeae-maydis. The trial was a randomized 3 × 4 factor design, split for fungicide treatments, and replicated three times. With increased N and K levels, final percent leaf blighting and the standardized area under disease progress curve were higher. In fungicide-treated maize, grain yields increased with increasing levels of N and K, as expected. In non-fungicide-treated maize, grain yield increased significantly with increased levels of N, despite increased disease severity. This was in contrast to small increases in grain yields from non-fungicide-treated maize with increased K levels, which were not significant. This was probably because grain yield response, which should have occurred at higher K applications, was reduced by increased disease severity. The effect of N, P, and K on GLS wasinvestigated at Ahrens. Maize was grown in a 4 × 4 × 4 N-P-K factorial, in a randomized complete block design. Fertilizer was applied at 0, 60, 120, and 180 kg N ha-1, 0, 30, 60, and 120 kg P ha-1, and 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg K ha-1. No fungicides were applied. A single disease assessment at physiological maturity showed that final disease severity increased with increasing levels of N, P, and K. These results have implications for small-scale farmers who are encouraged to fertilize for increased grain yields but may not have the resources to apply fungicide sprays to control fungal diseases.