Interestingly more than 50% of the world’s area is rainfed and approximately 80% of maize is cultivated under rainfed condition where selection of cultivar and management of nitrogen have major impact on production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth, phenology, yield and quality parameters of maize as influenced by variety and nitrogen scheduling under rainfed condition. For this, a field experiment having two factors was laid out in a factorial randomised block design and replicated three times. The first factor was variety, i.e., V₁ (JM 216) and V₂ (JM 218), and the second was six nitrogen scheduling, i.e., N₁ to N₆, in which nitrogen splitting was done based on 30-years of average rainfall data. Variety JM 218 and N₅ [40 kg N as basal followed by (fb) 2 splits of 40 kg N and 38.8 kg N at 30 and 52 days after sowing (DAS) and 1% N foliar spray at 40 DAS] nitrogen scheduling were found promising under rainfed situation because it recorded maximum value of growth parameters, yield attributes, grain yield and quality parameters (protein, mineral and dickson quality index). Thus, it can be inferred that JM 218 and N₅ nitrogen schedule would be a better choice than alternative options.

An experiment was conducted at research farm of Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Barkachha, Mirzapur situated in eastern Uttar Pradesh during winter (rabi) season of 2021–22 with the objective to study the response of nitrogen, phosphorous, sulphur doses and urea foliar spray on lentil growth attributes, yield attributes, yield and economics under guava + lentil based agri-horti system. Results revealed that the higher growth, yield attributes, yield, net monetory returns and benefit-cost ratio were recorded under N23.5+P60+S40 which was at par with N20+P50+S30. In case of varied doses of foliar spray of urea, foliar spray of 2% urea at pre-flowering stage fb 2% urea at pod initiation stage recorded significantly higher growth, yield, yield attributes and economics which was at par with foliar spray of 2% urea spray at pre-flowering stage. Moreover, between the sowing of the lentils and the harvest, the guava's growth attributes were also increased. Therefore, under rainfed conditions of Vidhyan region of eastern Uttar Pradesh, application of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur @20, 50 and 30 kg/ha as basal application along with foliar application (spray) of 2% urea at pre-flowering stage (45 DAS) to lentil crop was found to be better option for higher profitability under guava plantation.