EFFECT OF UREA WITH OR WITHOUT UREASE INHIBITOR (NBPT) AND HERBICIDE ON MAIZE YIELD

Improving nitrogen (N) use-efficiency of applied urea is critical to maximise its uptake and decrease environmental impact. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of urease inhibitor N- (n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT - “Agrotain”) and herbicide on fertilizer use-efficiency and yield of maize. The application of both urea with herbicide and urea with urease inhibitor significantly increased grain yield and plant biomass compared with urea alone treatment. Agrotain treated urea with herbicide increased grain yield by 38% compared with urea alone treatment. Similarly, Agrotain treated urea with herbicide produced significantly higher plant biomass by 52% compared with urea alone or other treatments. These results suggested that both Agrotain and herbicide together performed better than urea alone, by increasing fertilizer use-efficiency through controlled urea hydrolysis and weeds competition. Treating urea with Agrotain and herbicide thus has the potential to increase N use-efficiency, grain and biomass yields.