**4.1. Animal manures**

enhanced tasseling, silking, and maturity. Tasseling, silking, and physiological maturity showed positive relationship with increase in the number of splits. Maximum grain yield

recorded in those plots which received 100% of K at sowing time, while the lowest grain yield was recorded when K was applied in three splits, i.e., 33.3% at sowing time, 33.3% at 15 DAE, and 33.3% at 30 DAE. Amanullah et al. [2] reported that potassium fertilizer management is beneficial for improving growth, yield, and yield components of maize under moisture stress condition in semiarid climates. The results confirmed that increasing the rate of soil applied K

Amanullah et al. [30] studied the response of maize to urea spray (U0 = control, U1 = 2, U2 = 4, U3 = 6, and U4 = 8% urea) at different growth stages (T1 = V9, T2 = V12, T3 = VT, and T4 = R1 stages) assigned to subplots. It was concluded from the study that urea spray at the rate of 6% at V12 stage improves the grain yield and yield components of maize. Foliar application of nitrogen (2%) from different sources (e.g., urea, ammonium sulfate (AS), and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN)) and its application time (15, 30, 45, and 60 days after emergence (DAE)) were studied on maize. It was concluded from the results that late foliar-N application (urea, CAN, or AS) about 1 week before tasseling up to silking could increase maize productivity in the study area [31]. Amanullah et al. [12] reported that foliar nutrient management not only applies nutrients to the hungry crops, but it could also be beneficial in terms of providing water to the thirsty crops under moisture stress condition. They conducted field experiment to investigate effects of foliar NPK (2% each) applied alone and in various combinations (N, P, K, N + P, N + K, P + K, and N + P + K) and their application time (one split at 30 and 60 days after emergence (DAE) and two equal splits at 30 + 60 DAE) on the growth and yield of maize (*Zea mays* L., cv. Azam) under moisture stress condition. It was concluded from the results that combined foliar application of the three major nutrients (N + P + K) at the rate of 1% each in two equal splits at 30 and 60 DAE increased maize productivity under moisture stress condition. In our recent study (Amanullah et al. [4]), response of dryland maize was investigated to foliar phosphorus (1, 2, and 3% P) and zinc levels (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3% Zn) and their application time (T1 = at boot stage and T2 = at silking stage). It was concluded from this study that the application of 3% foliar P + 0.3% foliar Zn at boot stage improves growth and increases maize productivity and profitability under moisture stress condition in semiarid climates.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a key indicator of soil health because of its vital functions that affect soil fertility, productivity, and the environment. Soil organic matter plays a key role in

was recorded when K was not applied. The highest grain yield was

in two equal splits (50% each at sowing and knee height) improve growth

, while minimum grain

was recorded when K was applied at the highest rate of 90 kg ha−<sup>1</sup>

and maize productivity under semiarid climates.

6 Corn - Production and Human Health in Changing Climate

**3. Maize response to foliar nutrition**

**4. Maize response to organic matter**

yield of 1898.8 kg ha−<sup>1</sup>

up to 90 kg P ha−<sup>1</sup>

Farhad et al. [34] reported maximum plant height, leaf area index, leaf area, number of leaves plant−<sup>1</sup> , and transpiration with composted poultry manure. Delayed tasseling resulted in Monsanto-919 with fresh poultry manure at 75% FC, whereas early tasseling resulted in FH-810 with same treatment at 100% field capacity. Ahmad et al. [35] reported that the use of poultry manure at the rate of 2.50 t ha−<sup>1</sup> with inorganic fertilizer 200–150–125 kg NPK ha−<sup>1</sup> resulted in higher grain yield due to the enhancement in grains per cob and cobs per m−<sup>2</sup> . Baloch et al. [36] reported that combined application of manures and inorganic fertilizers significantly increases the growth and yield of maize crop. Amanullah and Khalid [10] Studied the impact of animal manures (poultry, cattle, and sheep manures) on hybrid maize "CS-200." They concluded that application of poultry manure delay phenological development, improve growth, and increase total corn biomass. Amanullah and Khalid [1] reported that the application of poultry manure increased yield and yield components of maize.

#### **4.2. Plant residues**

Adejumo et al. [37] reported that application of compost significantly increased maize biomass and decreased lead concentration in soil as compared to control and inorganic fertilizers. It was concluded that compost enhance soil fertility and crop productivity and increase plant resistance to heavy metals. Nziguheba et al. [38] studied the effects of residue incorporation and inorganic fertilizers on nutrient availability and maize yield. Plant residue incorporation increased P uptake and soil P as compared to inorganic fertilizer treatments in 3 years. Schiemenz et al. [39] studied the effectiveness of various types of ashes obtained after burning of different plant biomasses like rape meal, straw, and cereal residues. Ash application increased P uptake and soil P content, and the fertilizing effect of ash was comparable to triple super phosphate (TSP, a chemical fertilizer). Amanullah and Khan [16] studied the impact of compost application times ((30, 15, and 0 days before sowing (DBS)) on maize yield. The results confirmed that compost applied at sowing time significantly increased yield and yield components of maize under semiarid condition. Amanullah et al. [3] reported that application of compost tremendously improved growth and increased yield and yield components of maize when grown alone in mono-cropping or inter-cropped with common bean. The land equivalent ratio (LER) was higher in plots treated with compost than without compost-treated plots.

partitioning, biomass yield, and harvest index under limited irrigation condition. Amanullah [41] reported that integrated use of organic carbon sources, plant nutrients and bio-fertilizers is

Integrated Nutrient Management in Corn Production: Symbiosis for Food Security and Grower's…

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.80995

9

Soil fertility and corn productivity are continuously declining due to the removal of essential plant nutrients from the soils. The deficiencies of essential plant nutrients, organic matter, and beneficial soil microbes in soils had negative impact on soil fertility, corn productivity, and grower's income that have increased the problem of food insecurity globally. Best management practices including the proper use of plant nutrients increase (1) soil fertility and health, (2) yield per unit area, and (3) grower's income (profitability). Our long-term field experiments on maize crop indicated that a significant increase in yield per unit area occurred with integrated nutrient management (combined use of chemical fertilizers + organic fertilizers + biofertilizers). The integrated use of major plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash) along with different organic carbon sources (animal manures and plant residues) plus biofertilizers (beneficial microbes) significantly

key to improve field crops productivity under arid and semiarid climates.

improves maize growth, yield and yield components, and grower's income.

1 Department of Agronomy, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan

[1] Amanullah, Khalid S. Integrated use of phosphorus, animal manures and biofertilizers improve maize productivity under semiarid condition. In: Larramendy ML, Soloneski S, editors. Organic Fertilizers–From Basic Concepts to Applied Outcomes. Rijeka, Croatia:

[2] Amanullah, Iqbal A, Irfanullah, Hidayat Z. Potassium management for improving growth and grain yield of maize (*Zea mays* L.) under moisture stress condition. Scientific

[3] Amanullah, Khan F, Muhammad H, Jan AU, Ali G. Land equivalent ratio, growth, yield and yield components response of mono-cropped vs. inter-cropped common bean and maize with and without compost application. Agriculture and Biology Journal of North

**7. Conclusions**

**Author details**

\* and Shah Fahad2

InTech; 2016. pp. 137-155

America. 2016b;**7**(2):40-49

\*Address all correspondence to: amanullah@aup.edu.pk

Reports. 2016a;**6**:34627. DOI: 10.1038/srep34627

2 Department of Agriculture, The University of Swabi, Pakistan

Amanullah<sup>1</sup>

**References**
