Response of corn (Zea mays L.) treated with chemical fertilizers and humic acid-and microorganisms-based organic fertilizer at varying levels and combination

Date

7-2014

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

Major Course

Major in Soil Science

College

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Patrick M. Rocamora

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the effect of humic acid- and microorganism- based organic fertilizer (HMO) in combination with chemical fertilizers in corn in Mamala 1, Sariaya, Quezon. The objective was to determine and evaluate the different agronomic parameters and microbial population of the soil as affected by the varying treatment combinations in a corn productive cycle. Agronomic and yield parameters obtained were plant height and leaf area (collected at 28 and 42 DAE), and 1000 kernel grain weight (collected at harvest time), respectively. Soil samples were collected before and after harvest were analyzed for their chemical properties such as soil pH, soil total nitrogen, available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium content. Microbial populations of fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes were also counted. Results showed that the combination of full rate of chemical fertilizers and HMO (Treatment 5) gave the tallest plants, highest leaf area and heaviest 1000 kernel grain weight. Mean grain weight of corn applied with organic alone (Treatment 6) and those applied with half rate of chemical fertilizers with HMO (Treatment 4) were not significantly different. Soil analyses showed that soil total nitrogen, available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium content were highest in treatment 5, 3 and 1, respectively. After harvest, soil total nitrogen showed stable concentration with all treatments due to the fact that plants require nitrogen in majority of the life. Increasing levels of available phosphorus were observed because phosphorus uptake was highest during the vegetative stage for the purpose of root development that treatments of HMO improve the potential amount of available phosphorus at harvest. Exchangeable potassium was decreasing because of the concept of reproduction such that at harvest low levels of potassium were derived in the soil. For the microbial analyses (fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes), treatment combinations which gave the highest count were those treatments with the application of the chemical fertilizer alone (half and full rate). Highest fungal and actinomycetes population was observed in Treatment 3 (full recommended rate of chemical fertilizers). Fungi and actinomycetes require condition with slight to acidic soils such that application of chemical fertilizer tends to affect the soil in terms of pH negatively. Bacterial count was observed to be highest in Treatment 2 (HRR). The addition of HMO with the full recommended rate of chemical fertilizers (Treatment 5) can increase the biomass of corn. Based on agronomic parameters of corn, the treatment that gave the promising potential in improving plant height and leaf area was Treatment 5. Generally, humic acid and microorganism based materials tend to improve the condition of the microbial population of the soil in a long term application schedule.

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2014 A3 Z35

Document Type

Thesis

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