Yield and economics of rice fallow maize under different levels of nitrogen and phosphorus given to preceding kharif rice and different fertilizer schedules applied to succeeding maize crop

The trial on rice (Oryza sativa L.) fallow maize (Zea mays L.) under zero till conditions was conducted during 2008-09 and 2009-10 at Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla on sandy clay loam soil to study the yield and nutrient uptake of kharif rice as influenced by different levels of nitrogen, phosphorus applied to rice and fertilizer schedules given to maize during rabi. The treatments consisted of four nitrogen levels i. e. 80 kg N/ha, 120 kg N/ha, 240 kg N/ha, green manuring @ 5 t/ha; three phosphorus levels i. e. 0, 30 and 60 kg P2O5/ha to preceding rice and three fertilizer schedules i. e. 0, 50 and 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) to succeeding maize. Application of 240 kg N/ha in combination with 60 kg P2O5/ha and 100% RDF to maize significantly increased the grain yield, straw yield and economics (monetary returns) of rice as well as 100% RDF to maize over other levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and fertilizer schedules.