Maize, Sources of compost, Inorganic fertilizer, Soil health

An experiment was conducted during kharif 2005 and 2006 in MPKV, Rahuri, Dist. Ahmednagar (MS) to find out the effect of parthenium compost in maize yield and soil health. The results indicated that application of 50% N through parthenium compost + 50% N through RDF (60:30:30 NPK kg/ha) and 50% N through vermicompost + 50% N through RDF were found at par with each other and recorded significantly higher grain and stover yield of maize over rest of the treatments. Organic carbon status of soil was not influenced by addition of different levels of organic compost and inorganic fertilizer. However, available N, P2O5 and K2O in the soil after harvest of crop was found significantly higher with the application of 50% N through parthenium compost + 50% N through RDF and 50% N through vermicompost + 50% N through RDF.