Effects of microdose fertilization and plant density on maize (Zea mays L.) production in the Centre-West Region of Senegal

Abstract

Microdosing fertilization is aimed at reducing the investment in mineral fertilizers while increasing crop yield without harming the environment. However, only a few studies investigated the interactive effect of microdose and plant density on crop production, particularly in the maize-grown Centre-West region of Senegal. This work aimed to study the effects of the microdose and plant density interactions on maize's growth and yield components. The experiment was carried out at the experimental station of the National Higher School of Agriculture (ENSA) of Thies, Senegal. Two factors were studied in a factorial design with three replications: microdose with two levels (M1: 0.5 g hill⁻¹ of NPK + 0.5 g hill⁻¹ of urea; and M2: 1 g hill−1 of NPK + 0.5 g hill⁻¹ of urea) and sowing density with three levels (D1: 125,000; D2: 83,333; and D3: 62500 plants ha⁻¹). The microdose × plant density interaction was insignificant for plant height, number of leaves, and weight of ears. For each density, the two microdoses showed non-significant differences for these parameters. The interaction was also insignificant for grain and straw yields. However, the plant density highly significantly affected the grain and straw yields, with the higher density D1 leading to the best grain (1607 kg ha−1) and straw yields (2396 kg ha−1). The study shows that under microdosing fertilization, sowing maize in higher densities is recommended for better production and efficient use of fertilizer.