Morphological, Yield and Yield Components of Maize ( Zea Mays L.) Grown in Cattle Manure Amended Soil in the Jordan Valley

摘要

Background and Objective: Intensive cropping systems in Jordan valley demand high amounts of chemical fertilizer application to the soils which results in degradation of the soil organic matter and cause water impurity. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of cattle manure at various rates on maize ( Zea mays L.) growth and development. Materials and Methods: A field trial was conducted at the National Center for Agricultural Research and Extension in the Jordan Valley, Northwest of Amman, Jordan, during summer 2015. Six soil treatments were compared using randomized complete block design with 4 replications: No cattle manure (T1) control, 4 t ha^?1 (T2), 8 t ha^?1 (T3), 12 t ha^?1 (T4), 16 t ha^?1 (T5) and 20 t ha^?1 (T6) cattle manure. The morphological parameters measured were plant height, stem and ear diameters, ear length, plant and ear numbers, yield and yield components of maize. Treatment means were compared using least significant difference (pResults: It was found that 20 t ha^?1 cattle manure (T6) gave the highest performance in terms of plant height, stem and ear diameters, ear length, plant and ear numbers, yield and yield components of maize. Conclusion: The study revealed the importance of cattle manure in producing organic maize with high productivity.