Effect of Combined Use of Organic Crop Growth Enhancer, Inorganic and Organic Fertilizers on the Proximate Quality of Maize (Zea Mays L.)

This study investigated the use of organic crop-growth enhancers by farmers to improve the proximate quality of maize (Zea mays L.) in Ghana. Multi-location field trials at CSIR-CRI Fumesua and AAMUSTED Mampong over the two rainy seasons of 2023 were conducted. The proximate quality was evaluated from two perspectives: the location where the maize was cultivated and the specific crop growth enhancer that was applied. A Randomized Complete Block Design with twelve treatments and each replicated four times was used. The treatments were T1 = Agro charger, T2 = Agro clean, T3 = Agro charger +Agro clean, T4 = NPK, T5= NPK + Agro charger, T6 = NPK + Agro clean, T7= NPK + Agro charger + Agro clean, T8 = Poultry manure (PM), T9 = PM +Agro charger, T10 = PM+ Agro clean, T11 = PM + Agro charger +Agro clean, T12 = control. The results showed that across both locations, the proximate quality (protein, moisture content, carbohydrate, crude fibre content, fat and total ash) of maize was superior at Fumesua compared to Mampong. Furthermore, in relation to the treatments applied, poultry manure and the addition of Agro charger, as well as the combination of poultry manure+ + Agro charger + Agro clean, resulted in the best proximate quality in cultivated maize. The study recommends the use of PM + Agro charger + Agro clean for higher maize growth and yield.