Influence of Hydrogel Levels and Integrated Nutrient Management on Soil Fertility Dynamics Nutrient, Uptake and Grain Quality of Rabi Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2024–25 and 2025–26 at the Research Farm, Jigyasa University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India, to evaluate the influence of hydrogel application and nutrient management on nutrient uptake, grain protein content and post-harvest soil fertility in rainfed maize. The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomised block design with three replications. The treatments comprised four hydrogel levels: no hydrogel, 5 kg ha⁻¹, 7.5 kg ha⁻¹ and 10 kg ha⁻¹, combined with four fertility levels: 100% recommended dose of fertiliser, 100% recommended dose of fertiliser + farmyard manure at 5 t ha⁻¹, 75% recommended dose of fertiliser + farmyard manure at 10 t ha⁻¹ and 50% recommended dose of fertiliser + farmyard manure at 15 t ha⁻¹. Hydrogel application significantly improved nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium concentrations and uptake in grain and stover. The highest hydrogel level, 10 kg ha⁻¹, recorded the greatest pooled nitrogen uptake in grain and stover, with corresponding values of 76.91 and 128.35 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. It also recorded higher phosphorus and potassium uptake and improved grain protein content compared with the control. Among fertility treatments, 100% recommended dose of fertiliser generally produced the highest nutrient concentration and uptake, followed closely by 100% recommended dose of fertiliser combined with farmyard manure at 5 t ha⁻¹. Post-harvest soil fertility also improved under hydrogel application, with the 10 kg ha⁻¹ level recording pooled available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and soil organic carbon values of 221.54 kg ha⁻¹, 34.04 kg ha⁻¹, 249.92 kg ha⁻¹ and 0.597%, respectively. The results indicate that hydrogel application with balanced nutrient management can improve nutrient availability, crop nutrient uptake and soil fertility status in rainfed rabi maize.