A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2016 at Main Agriculture Research Station, Dharwad, which is
located in Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka. The experiment consists of two maize hybrids (NK-6240 and S-6668)
were sown in main plots. Eight sub plot treatments viz., three precision nutrient techniques (PNM); site specific nutrient
management (SSNM), soil test crop response (STCR) and nutrient expert (NE), recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) and
absolute control are tested in split plot design . The maize hybrid S-6668 recorded significantly higher leaf area index (3.71
and 1.51) and leaf area duration (129 and 118 days) at 90 DAS and at harvest stage, higher grain and stover yield (8.18 and
10.11 t ha-1), gross and net returns (` 1,20,569 and ` 54,109), respectively than NK-6240. Among the sub plots, nutrient
applied as per SSNM (T2) showed taller plants, higher leaf area Index (LAI), leaf area duration (LAD), SPAD and
Normalized differential vegetation Index (NDVI) values, grain and stover yield, harvest index and gross returns as compared
to all other precision nutrient techniques, RDF and absolute control. However, SPAD and NDVI values were higher over
only RDF and control. Similarly, Harvest Index of T2 was on par with STCR and NE 10 t ha-1. Whereas, the net return
(` 65,069 ha-1) and B: C ratio (2.00) was higher with NE than all other treatments. However, SSNM was on par with NE.
Interactions showed that, application of fertilizer based on SSNM to achieve target yield of 10 t ha-1 with maize hybrid
S-6668 recorded higher plant height (218.26 and 219.04 cm), LAI (4.54 and 1.84), LAD (157 and 98 days) at 90 DAS and
at harvest, respectively. Further, grain and stover yield (9.49 11.5 t ha-1) as well as gross returns (` 1,45,211) were higher
than all other treatment combinations, in this treatment.