DOI: https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/26.3.4244

Original scientific paper

Application of organic fertilizers as supplement to improve the yield and content indicators of maize

2025, 26 (3)   p. 618-625

Ariel Tóth, Zoltán Tóth

Abstract

Chemical fertilizers have almost completely replaced organic fertilizers in Hungary. However, their combined use can have many advantages. The present study aimed to examine the effects of some organic amendments [manure (M), green manure (GM), stem residues (SR)] on the yield and grain content indicators of maize (P0023 hybrid), at equidistantly increasing N application rates. The experiment was conducted between 10. May 2023. and 19. October 2023. in the International Organic Nitrogen Long-term Fertilization Experiment (IOSDV) in Keszthely, Hungary. In addition to the unfertilized Control, 3 main treatments (NPK, NPK+M, NPK+GM+SR) were set, within which 5 equidistantly increasing N rates (N0-4 = 0-70-140-210-280 kg N/ha) were applied. According to the results, organic supplementation had a statistically detectable effect on the yield (P<0.05), cob weight (P<0.05), cob length (P<0.05), thousand grain weight (P<0.05) and crude protein (P<0.05), crude fiber (P<0.05), starch (P<0.05) and crude ash (P<0.05) content of maize. The effect of N was evident, both in the case of yield (P<0.05), cob weight (P<0.05), cob length (P<0.05) and thousand grain weight (P<0.05). Crude protein content has also increased with the increase of nitrogen doses, while crude fiber content followed an opposite trend. The effect of different crop-enhancers on the crude fat content of maize (P=0.197) could not be detected. The study results indicate that organic amendments can be used effectively to improve most quantitative and qualitative traits of maize and reduce the need for inorganic N fertilizers.

Keywords

nitrogen, inorganic fertilizer, manure, green manure, stem residue

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