Zinc and Organo-Mineral Fertilization Effects on Biomass Production in Maize (Zea mays) Grown on Acid Sand Alfisol (Typic Paleudalf)

This study was conducted to determine the effect of cow dung (manure) alone (CD), zinc sulphate alone, ZnSO4 (23% Zn) and their organo-mineral combination (CD+ZnSO4) on the performance of maize (Zea mays) at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Ado-Ekiti. The fertilizer treatments consisted of 0, 15 and 30 mg Zn kg 1 soil to give 9 treatment combinations replicated three times in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD). Growth parameters were measured at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of growth while shoot weight and Zn uptake by the crop were determined at 28 days after planting. The result indicated that application of 30 mg Zn kg 1soil and organo-mineral combination (Cow dung+ZnSO4) significantly (p< 0.05) gave the highest plant shoot biomass (7.11 g pot 1) base on dry shoot weight. Also application of CD also led to the highest Zn uptake.