Integrated nutrient management improves maize productivity, nutrient-use efficiency, soil fertility, and economic returns

Maize production is increasingly constrained by soil degradation, climate variability, and inefficient nutrient use. Excessive reliance on inorganic/synthetic fertilizers reduces soil organic carbon and created nutrient imbalances, highlighting the need for integrated nutrient management (INM) strategies to improve productivity, efficiency, and soil health. A two year (2021 and 2022) field experiment was conducted during the kharif seasons. Treatments comprised three organic manures: goat manure, poultry manure, and vermicompost, combined with five fertilizer levels (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of the recommended dose of fertilizers, RDF).Poultry manure (PM) + 100% RDF produced the highest cob yield (7.09 t ha−1), while vermicompost (VC) + 100% RDF resulted in maximum grain yield (5.31 t ha−1). These yields were statistically comparable with both 75% and 100% RDF levels across all organic manures; however, the 75% RDF level appears more suitable for scalability, as it maintained similar productivity while reducing fertilizer input requirements. Maximum net returns and nutrient-use efficiency (NUE) were achieved with goat manure (GM) plus 100% RDF, however, these values were statistically comparable with both 75% and 100% RDF levels under GM and PM treatments, indicating that the 75% RDF level may be a more scalable option due to reduced fertilizer input without significant loss in economic returns or NUE. Integrating organic manures with mineral fertilizers improved maize productivity, NUE, soil fertility, and profitability. Optimized fertilizer application (75–100%) with organic inputs offers a practical and scalable strategy for resilient, resource-efficient maize production system.