EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PHOSPHORUS LEVELS ON THE YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF MAIZE

In order to investigate the effect of different phosphorus levels on the yield and yield components of maize, an experiment was carried out at the Agricultural Research Institute, Tarnab (Peshawar) during 2007. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications having a plot size of 5.40 m x 6.7 m with row to row distance of 0.75 m and plant to plant distance of 0.25 m. The levels of phosphorus were 0 (control), 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha^-1. Results indicated that the different levels of phosphorus significantly affected maize plant height, number of cobs plant^-1, number of grains cob^-1 and grain yield, however the effect was non significant on number of plants m^-2, thousand grain weight and biological yield of maize. Application of P at the rate of 100 kg ha^-1 resulted in maximum plant height (158 cm), number of cobs plant^-1 (1.25), number of grain cob-1 (327), thousand grain weight (241 g), grain yield (2415 kg ha^-1) and biological yield (7999 kg ha^-1) as compared to the minimum values in control plots i.e. 145cm, 0.80, 290, 188 g, 1305 kg ha-1 and 5753 kg ha^-1, respectively. It is concluded that P should be applied at the rate of 100 kg ha^-1 for best grain yield in the agro-ecological conditions of Peshawar.