Affiliation:
1. Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Bako Agricultural Research Center, Bako, Ethiopia
Abstract
The results of this research provide a basis for additional exploration and advancement, which will culminate in suggestions for the timing of split urea treatment and cultivars for sustainable maize production within the study region. During the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons, a field experiment was conducted at the Bako Agricultural Research Center to determine the response of hybrid maize cultivars to urea split application on phenology, growth, and grain production. In the experiment, six levels of urea split application were applied to two types of corn. T1 = 1/2 dose of urea at planting + 1/2 dose of urea at Knee height; T2 = 1/2 dose of urea at planting + 1/2 dose of urea at tasseling; T3 = 1/ 3 dose of urea at planting + 1/3 dose of urea at knee height + 1/3 dose of urea at tasseling; T4 = 2/3 dose of urea at knee height + 1/3 dose of urea at tasseling; T5 = 1/2 dose of urea at knee height + 1/2 dose of urea at tasseling; and T6 = 1/4 dose of urea at planting + 1/2 dose of urea at knee height + 1/4 dose of urea at tasseling. The experiment's randomized complete block design made use of three replications. The primary effects of the urea split time of application were found to have a substantial impact on plant height, 90% physiological maturity, grain production, total leaf area per plant, and leave area index. Three urea split applications 1/4 dosage at planting, 1/2 dose at knee height, and 1/4 dose at tasseling provided the maximum net benefit of EB 246,536.7 ha-1 and the best marginal rate return of 2822.26% for maize output. In conclusion, urea split application 1/4 doses at planting stage 1/2 dose at knee-height and 1/4 dose at tasseling stage is the best time of application in good rainy seasons and hence recommended for the end users. However, in the case of erratic and heavy rainy seasons, application at three times should be used to get maximum profit and acceptable MRR.
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