Productive and Economic Potential Assessment of Maize (Zea mays L.) Varieties under Fertilizers Influence in the Coastal Zone of Togo

The sustainable improvement of maize productivity and smallholders’ incomes to contribute to food security is the objective of this study carried out over two consecutive years (2020 and 2021) at the University of Lomé Agronomic Experiment Station. The experiment was set up in a split-plot design, composed of sixteen (16) treatments in three (03) replicates each. Four varieties: Ikenné (V1) Tzee (V2), Sotubaka (V3) and Sammaz 52 (V4) and four fertilization schemes: 0 kgha-1 (F0); 200 kgha-1 of NPK: 15-15-15+100 kgha-1 of urea 46%N (F1); 6 000 kgha-1 of chicken dungs (F2) and 6 000 kgha-1 of small ruminant dungs (F3) were the studied factors. Maize grain yields were determined, and an economic analysis was done. The results analysis showed that varieties and fertilization schemes significantly affected maize grain yields. Sotubaka (V3) was the most productive variety during the two years of experiment. The average yield obtained under V3 (3.56±0.65 t ha-1) was higher than those of Ikenné, Tzee and Sammaz 52 varieties respectively by 20, 57 and 5%. The average yield recorded under F2 was higher than those of F0, F1 and F3 by 54, 3 and 17% respectively. On a 2-year average basis, the application of 200 kgha-1 of NPK: 15-15-15+100 kgha-1 of urea 46%N (F1) gave the highest maize grain yields under V1 (3.43±0.13 t ha-1) and V2 (2.60±0.15 t ha-1); while the highest maize grain yields under V3 (4.29±0.12 t ha-1) and V4 (3.95±0.11 t ha-1) were obtained with the supply of 6 000 kgha-1 of chicken dungs (F2). On the same 2-year average basis, the highest profits were obtained under Ikenné (343 000 FCFA ha-1=US$ 512.46) and Tzee (177 000 FCFA ha-1=US$ 264.45) with the application of F1. For Sotubaka (480 000 FCFA ha-1=US$ 717.14) and Sammaz 52 (415 000 FCFA ha-1=US$ 620.03), the highest profit was obtained with the application of F2. For successful maize cultivation, it was advisable to use F1 for Ikenne and Tzee varieties and F2 for Sotubaka and Sammaz 52 varieties.