PROTEIN CONTENTS OF MAIZE VARIETIES AS INFLUENCED BY NITROGEN AND MICRONUTRIENTS

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted in 2008 and 2009 in the Guinea Savanna ecology of Nigeria to investigate the protein content of maize varieties (Quality Protein Maize QPM and normal varieties) as influenced by nitrogen fertilizer and micronutrients. The treatments were four rates of inorganic fertilizer N (0, 50, 100, 150kgNha-1) and two rates of cocktail micronutrient (Fe, Zn, B, Mo, and Cu). These were tested in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications and the treatments were laid out in factorial design. The results from the study revealed that micronutrients rate of 22.85g/ha applied increased the lysine and tryptophan content of the QPM varieties. The result also showed that addition of nitrogen fertilizer and micronutrients increased the crude protein content of the maize varieties and so also with micronutrients addition the QPM varieties differed significantly from each other with respect to lysine and tryptophan contents (P< 0.05). It can be inferred from this that though normal maize and QPM varieties could be exposed to the same environmental conditions and take up same amounts of micronutrients, the QPM varieties have genetic capacity to synthesize high levels of amino acids and so would have nutritionally higher quality grains. Plant breeders therefore may find this attribute useful in genetic manipulation and cultivar development to enhance protein biochemical components