Response of Two Yellow Maize Hybrids to Amino Acids, Mineral Npk and Nano-Fertilizers under Toshka District Conditions.

This study was carried out during 2018 and 2019 seasons at the Experimental Farm of the Water Studies and Research Complex (WSRC) Station, National Water Research Center, Toshka Region, Egypt (22°32′16″N, 31°30′40″E), to study the effect of two amino cat fertilizer concentrations (AA1: 100 cm³ fed-1 and AA2: 200 cm³ fed-1), six different combinations of mineral NPK and nano-fertilizers (F1= 0.0 fertilizers-control treatment, F2= 100% mineral NPK (120:30:24 kg fed-1), F3= 100% Nano NPK )10 kg fed-1), F4=75% mineral NPK +25% Nano NPK, F5=75% Nano NPK +25% mineral and F6= 50% mineral NPK +50% Nano NPK( on grain production and its attributes as well as net economic return on two yellow maize hybrids (M1: T.W.C. 353 and M2: T.W.C. 360). The experiment was laid out in a strip split-plot design with three replications, where amino cat fertilizer allocated in vertical-plots, fertilization treatments were arranged in horizontal-plots and maize hybrids were occupied the subplots. Studied traits were number of days to 50% tasseling, number of green leaves plant-1, ear leaf area, plant height, ear length, number of ears plant-1 and grain yield fed-1. Obtained results showed that maize hybrids, amino cat fertilizer, fertilization treatments, and their interactions significantly influenced most studied traits in both seasons. TWC 353 hybrid gave the maximum mean values of all studied traits in both seasons. Foliar spraying with 200 cm³ amino cat fertilizer was significantly associated with corresponding increases in all studied traits especially grain yield (3.02 and 3.06 ton fed-1) in the 1st and 2nd seasons, respectively. Maximum average values of studied traits were obtained using 50% mineral fertilization + 50% nano- NPK fertilization in both growing seasons. Foliar appliction of TWC 353 hybrid with 200 cm³ aminofertilizer, beside fertilization by 50% mineral NPK+50% NPK nano-fertilizers (M1AA2F6), recorded the highest values for net farm incom (12926 L.E fed-1), net farm return (6360 L.E fed-1), BCR (1.97) and economic efficiency (net return/total costs=0.97). This result is due to the highest grain yield prodictivity under this treatment (3.77 ton fed-1) as an average of the two seasons compared with other treatments. Generally, it could be concluded that foliar spraying of maize hybrid TWC 353 with 200 cm³ fed-1 amino cat fertilizer plus 50% mineral fertilization + 50% nano-NPK fertilization resulted in highest growth, production and net farm return under the environmental conditions of Toshka region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]