(Research Article) Vol 8-2026-26-31

Journal: i TECH MAG (Research Article)
Author: Sudarsan Panta, Lalit Pokhrel, Sita Regmi, Bibek Pokhrel, Prakash Dhungana, Madhav Dhital
DOI: 10.26480/itechmag.08.2026.26.31

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

A field experiment was conducted during spring 2025 at Jhapa rural municipality ward no 6, Jhapa district of Nepal to study the effect of split application of potassium in maize to enhance the yield. The experiment followed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with seven treatments and three replications using the open-pollinated maize variety Arun-2. The results showed clear differences among treatments where the three-split potassium treatment, (20+20+20 kg K ha⁻¹), performed the best. Plants under this treatment had slightly delayed silking and maturity, which helped extend the grain-filling period. This treatment also produced the longest cobs (19.6 cm), thickest girth (42.7 mm), highest shelling percentage (75.19%), and the lowest sterility (7.36%). It recorded the highest kernel number per row (35.86), test weight (356.68 gm), and the greatest yield (4.40 t ha⁻¹). Treatments (30+15+15 and 20+40 kg K ha⁻¹), were close in performance, while the control gave the lowest results for every parameter. The improvement in yield with split potassium application was mainly due to better nutrient absorption, efficient use of photosynthates, and delayed leaf drying, which allowed for a longer grain-filling period. Hence, applying potassium in three splits-20 kg at planting, 20 kg at knee-high, and 20 kg at tasseling was the most effective approach for improving maize yield and related traits under the climate and soil conditions of Jhapa. This practice can help farmers use potassium more efficiently, maintain soil health, and increase maize productivity in the terai region of Nepal.