Abstract
Though secondary and micronutrients are known to improve crop production, their inclusion in fertilizer formulation has received minimum attention in efforts aimed at increasing maize production in northern Ghana. In this study, Sulphur, Boron, and Zinc were included in NPK formulations at different rates in northern Ghana. The experiment was a single factor, consisting of NPK 15-15-15 applied at rates (kg/ha) of 60-40-40, NPK 15-15-15 at rates of 90-60-60, NPK 15-15-15 at 100-40-40, NPK 11-22-21 + 5S+1B+1Zn at 60-40-38 + 9 + 1.8 + 1.8, NPK 11-22-21 + 5S + 1B + 1Zn at 90-60-57 + 14 + 2.7 + 2.7, NPK 11–22 21 + 5S+1B+1Zn at 100-40-38 + 9 + 1.8 + 1.8, NPS 14-31-0 + 9S + 1B + 1Zn at 60-40-0 + 11.6 + 1.3 + 1.3, NPS 14-31-0 + 9S + 1B + 1Zn at 90-60-0 + 17.4 + 1.9 + 1.9, NPS 14-31-0 + 9S + 1B + 1Zn at 100-40-0 + 11.6 + 1.3 + 1.3 and no fertilization. Treatments were randomly laid out in four farms. Urea at respective rates was applied at 6 weeks after planting. Data analyzed on growth and yield parameters at 5% probability showed that significantly higher growth and yield were recorded with the inclusion of secondary and micronutrients (P < 0.05). NPK 11-22-21 + 5S + 1B + 1Zn at 90-60-57 + 14 + 2.7 + 2.7 increased yield by 30% (mean: 3330 kg/ha) compared to the standard yield from NPK 15-15-15 at 90-60-60 (mean: 2585 kg/ha) which consisted solely of primary nutrients. Also, NPS 14-31-0 + 9S + 1B + 1Zn at 100-40-0 + 11.6 + 1.3 + 1.3 followed with yield increment of 26% (mean: 3252 kg/ha), with the zero-control treatment giving the lowest yield (mean: 356 kg/ha). While the study confirms the need for use of fertilizer in maize production across northern Ghana it demonstrates the need for secondary and micronutrient inclusion in fertilizer blends for soils of Northern Ghana.
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Claims 5
Claim · model-written summary
Secondary and micronutrient inclusion increased maize growth significantly.
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significantly higher growth and yield were recorded with the inclusion of secondary and micronutrients (P < 0.05)”
t0“maize growth and yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Secondary and micronutrient inclusion increased maize yield significantly.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significantly higher growth and yield were recorded with the inclusion of secondary and micronutrients (P < 0.05)”
t0“maize growth and yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The NPK 11-22-21 blend raised maize yield 30% over standard NPK.
- Treatment
- NPK 11-22-21 + 5S + 1B + 1Zn at 90-60-57 + 14 + 2.7 + 2.7e0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 30%e0
- Qualifier
- mean: 3330 kg/hae0
- Comparator
- NPK 15-15-15 at 90-60-60e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“NPK 11-22-21 + 5S + 1B + 1Zn at 90-60-57 + 14 + 2.7 + 2.7 increased yield by 30% (mean: 3330 kg/ha) compared to the standard yield from NPK 15-15-15 at 90-60-60 (mean: 2585 kg/ha)”
t0“maize growth and yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The NPS blend raised maize yield 26%.
- Treatment
- NPS 14-31-0 + 9S + 1B + 1Zn at 100-40-0 + 11.6 + 1.3 + 1.3e0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- incremente0
- Value
- 26%e0
- Qualifier
- mean: 3252 kg/hae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“NPS 14-31-0 + 9S + 1B + 1Zn at 100-40-0 + 11.6 + 1.3 + 1.3 followed with yield increment of 26% (mean: 3252 kg/ha)”
t0“maize growth and yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Unfertilized maize had the lowest yield, averaging 356 kg/ha.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the zero-control treatment giving the lowest yield (mean: 356 kg/ha)”
t0“maize growth and yield”
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