Economic viability of splitting nitrogen fertilizer in maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.): case of Lubumbashi, southeastern DR Congo

Abstract

Objectives: Fertilizers mineralize throughout the growing season and the availability of nitrogen may not always coincide with the cycle of crop growth. Thus, fractionation of nitrogen and its application on two improved varieties of maize, UNILU and PAN 53, was explored in order to contribute to increased productivity of maize, the main food crop in the region of Lubumbashi. Methods and results: A trial was set up at the farm Kasapa to study the profitability of the splitting of urea, considering the dose currently popularized by the firm Omnia (for a density of 33333 plants per hectare 400Kg NPK and 800Kg urea divided into two doses: 400kg of urea at 30 days after sowing and 400kg at 75 days). Different frequencies of urea fractionation, namely 2, 3, 4, 5 and the application to the single dose were tested. The observations related on the emergence rate, number of days to flowering male and female, the male inflorescence height and insertion of ear, the lodging resistance, number of ear by foot, the average weight of grains per spike, 1000 grain weight and yield. The results of the ANOVA showed that the agronomic parameters studied were not influenced by the varieties and frequency splitting of urea. Conclusion and potential application of research: the results of the acceptability index showed that fractionation is not advising against the costs of spreading and mounding that negatively affect the profitability of growing corn. Furthermore, this study is a contribution to the profitability of fertilizer use in maize, considering the high cost of work (including spreading and mounding) is an obstacle to increased maize cultivation in middle peasant.

Keywords: split, variety, urea, UNILU, Pan 53, corn

J. Appl. Biosci. 2013