{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T22:58:26Z","timestamp":1781737106749,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,31]],"date-time":"2025-07-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753920000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Agronomy"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Foliar fertilization is an effective practice that improves both the yield and quality of maize, a crop with high and specific micronutrient demands. This study hypothesized that foliar application of Fe, Cu, Mn, Mo, Zn and B would improve grain size and quality in GS210 maize compared to the control. The single-factor field experiment was conducted in 2023\u20132024 on Haplic Cambisol (Eutric) soil, under a variety of meteorological conditions. The application of Zn and B fertilizers significantly increased the soil plant analysis development (SPAD) index. Yield components (number of grains per ear, thousand-grain weight) and grain yield increased significantly following Zn foliar application compared to the control. Zn application increased grain yield by 0.59 t ha\u22121 and 0.49 t ha\u22121 in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Smaller but beneficial effects were observed with Cu and B applications. In contrast, the effects of fertilization with other micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Mo) were less pronounced than anticipated. Biochemical analyses revealed that foliar fertilization with Fe, Cu and Mo increased total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity, while Fe and Mo enhanced carotenoid accumulation, and Cu and B significantly influenced grain color parameters. The study highlights the potential of foliar fertilization to improve maize performance and grain quality, despite possible antagonisms between micronutrients.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/agronomy15081859","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,1]],"date-time":"2025-08-01T06:37:47Z","timestamp":1754030267000},"page":"1859","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["The Effect of Foliar Micronutrient Fertilization on Yield and Nutritional Quality of Maize Grain"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0628-4190","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Wac\u0142aw","family":"Jarecki","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Crop Production, University of Rzesz\u00f3w, St. Zelwerowicza 4, 35-601 Rzesz\u00f3w, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6350-1388","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ioana Maria","family":"Borza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Agriculture, University of Oradea, Gen. Magheru, No. 26, 410048 Oradea, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0581-7461","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cristina Adriana","family":"Rosan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Food Engineering, University of Oradea, Gen. Magheru, No. 26, 410048 Oradea, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cristian Gabriel","family":"Domu\u021ba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Agriculture, University of Oradea, Gen. Magheru, No. 26, 410048 Oradea, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9562-4809","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Simona Ioana","family":"Vicas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Food Engineering, University of Oradea, Gen. Magheru, No. 26, 410048 Oradea, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1044","DOI":"10.1080\/01904160902872826","article-title":"Foliar fertilization of crop plants","volume":"32","author":"Fageria","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Plant Nutr."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Januszkiewicz, R., Kulczycki, G., and Samoraj, M. (2023). Foliar fertilization of crop plants in polish agriculture. Agriculture, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/agriculture13091715"},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"173","article-title":"Maize (Zea mays L.) yielding after one-time ploughing and manure application after long-term no-tillage and mineral fertilization only","volume":"30","author":"Szulc","year":"2013","journal-title":"Fragm. 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