Variations in Primary Nutrients and Sowing Dates Influence Performance of Monsoon Maize (Zea Mays L.) in Punjab, India

Maize, being a nutritious and multipurpose crop requires proper nutrition (N, P, and K) and standardization of sowing time to enhance productivity and profitability under changing climate scenario. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted during monsoon season of 2021 and 2022 at agricultural farm, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, in split plot design with four fertilizer levels (125, 100, 75, and 50% recommended dose of fertilizers; RDF) in main plots and four sowing dates (15 and 30 of June and July) in subplots, replicated thrice. Maize sown on 30 June and fertilized with 125% RDF ensured higher growth attributes throughout crop growth. Besides, comparatively greater yield attributes as well as grain yield (8.22 t ha(-1)), stover yield (11.86 t ha(-1)), and harvest index (40.9%) were observed from that treatment combination, and it also recorded higher quality protein and nutrient uptakes but less residual soil fertility. Maize grown on 30 July under application of 50% RDF was the poorest yielder. Further, production economics and energy analysis showed similar trend and indicated that maize grown on 30 June under application of 125% RDF recorded maximum gross return (168275 ha(-1)), net return (109565 ha(-1)), and benefit-cost ratio (2.87) as well as energy output (269084 MJ ha(-1)) and net energy gain (250750.3 MJ ha(-1)).