TITLE:
Response of the Maize Variety EV87-28 to a Fertilization Strategy Involving Indorama Granular Urea on Ferralsol in the Central Ivory Coast
AUTHORS:
Fernand Guy Yao, Kouadio Amani, Brou Kouame, Jean Lopez Essehi, Brahima Kone, Kouadio Houphouet, Cheikh Ahmed Diawara, Bala Mamadou Ouattara, Albert Yao-Kouame
KEYWORDS:
Indorama Granular Urea, Ferralsol, Cultural Seasons, Maize, Ivory Coast
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.15 No.1,
January
25,
2024
ABSTRACT: In Côte d’Ivoire, the decline in soil fertility strongly impacts the productivity of maize (Zea mays L.) on heavily leached ferralitic soil. In this study, the general objective was therefore to improve the productivity of maize EV87-28 on the Ferralsols in pre-forested areas during different cropping seasons. Eight (8) micro-plots were set up according to a total randomization device with three repetitions. Two factors were studied: nitrogen fertilizer modalities (main factor) and crop season (secondary factor). Growth, flowering and yield parameters were measured and analyzed. The results showed that there was no interaction between the nitrogen fertilizer factor and the cropping season factor. In addition, this study showed the short rainy season had the most positive impact on growth, flowering and yield parameters than the long rainy season. The results also showed that the different nitrogen fertilizer modalities had no statistically different effects on growth, flowering and yield parameters. However, quantitative differences were reported, highlighting one nitrogen fertilizer modality, which is the combination of urea granule + farm manure (75% urea indorama granules and 25% farm manure). The combination of urea granule + farm manure (75% urea indorama granules and 25% farm manure) had the best effect on corn grain yield. So, the combination of urea (75%) and manure (25%), that resulted in yield gain, could be recommended for corn fertilization during the small rainy season.