Fertilizer Use Efficiency and Profitability of Maize Varieties with Different Maturity Classes in Semi-Arid Ghana
2025
Dilys Sefakor MacCarthy | Bright Salah Freduah | Yvonne Ohui Kugblenu Darrah | Samuel Godfried Adiku | Daniel Etsey Dodor | Joseph Kugbe | Alpha Yaya Kamara
Optimizing the efficiency of fertilizer use is critical for sustainable maize production and food security, particularly in smallholder systems. Sub-optimal application rates pose a significant risk of soil nutrient depletion and low productivity. Split plot experiments were conducted across four locations in Ghana&rsquo:s Guinea Savannah using seven maize varieties from three different maturity classes. The study assessed the response to nitrogen fertilizer applications (0, 60, 90, and 120 kg N ha&minus:1) regarding yield, Agronomic Efficiency (AEN), Water Use Efficiency (WUE), and economic feasibility. Grain yields across locations and varieties demonstrated a strong linear response to nitrogen fertilization. The 90 kg N ha&minus:1 application generally produced the highest AEN for all sites and varieties. Gross Revenue (GR) and WUE increased with higher N rates, with Value-to-Cost Ratios (VCR) consistently exceeding 2. Applying 90 kg N ha&minus:1 resulted in statistically similar Gross Revenues (GRs) to the 120 kg N ha&minus:1 fertilization. Different maturity classes significantly impacted fertilizer efficiency in semi-arid Ghana, with intermediate varieties outperforming extra-early ones. Though a 90 kg N ha&minus:1 rate was generally identified as the economically optimal rate of N fertilization for the locations, targeted fertilizer recommendations based on maize maturity groups and location are strongly advised.
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