An integrated plant nutrition system (IPNS) for corn in the Mid-Atlantic USA

Abstract

Current trends in agriculture have moved toward more sustainable cultivation systems with higher efficiency of input use. A variety of materials, derived from different resources, can serve as a crop nutrient sources. An Integrated Plant Nutrition System (IPNS) uses the combined and harmonious use of inorganic, organic and biological nutrient resources to maximize efficiency of inputs. We evaluated the effects of commercial nitrogen (N) fertilizer, humic acid compounds (HA), compost/manure teas and bioinoculants as inorganic, organic and biological resources, respectively and their synergy over three years on corn (Zea mays L.) in the Mid-Atlantic USA. The individual and combined application of HA and biofertilizer following the IPNS influenced corn height and leaf greenness to varying degrees, most likely due to biostimulant effects. In 2017, corn height, NDVI, greenness and vigor responded positively to biostimulant application to varying magnitudes and growth stages, however grain yield and nutrient content were not affected. In combined studies from 2018 and 2019 corn height was not impacted by biostimulant application but NDVI, photosynthetic efficiency, greenness and vigor were increased at different doses and corn growth stages. The combined use of HA þ biofertilizer (Microlife Humic þ Microgeo) was the only treatment leading to increased grain yield. This study demonstrates that the individual and combined application of HA and biofertilizer can influence corn growth and vigor at various points during the growing season. However, the current study cannot conclusively confirm that the integrated use of HA and biofertilizers (IPNS) is a better practice than the application of each compound individually.

Design of a hydroponic test to evaluate the biostimulant potential of new organic and organomineral products

“…This measure is especially important because it highlights the water savings of each of the biostimulants. If we overlap growth and solution consumption, we observe that, in general, biostimulants with nutritional solutions produce greater growth in plants as was also seen by Da Cunha Leme Filho et al (2021). This is shown in Fig.…”

Effect of organic biostimulants on cannabis productivity and soil microbial activity under outdoor conditions

“…The fact that cannabis height responded differently to the biostmulants application in two growing seasons and different locations might be due the plant stress intensity throughout the seasons. This is not uncommon event, considering that two studies addressing the use of biostimulants on corn ( Zea mays L.) also found contrasting plant height response depending on the growing season and location (Da Cunha Leme Filho et al 2021 ; El-Mekser et al 2014 ).…”

A multi-attribute approach to evaluating the impact of biostimulants on crop performance

“…As biostimulant, we selected a well-established commercial product with usage history of over 20 years in South America. The product Microgeo ® is a biostimulant applied in a wide variety of crops ( Gama et al., 2014 ; Cardoso et al., 2017 ; de Almeida et al., 2018 ; da Silva et al., 2020 ; Suarez et al., 2020 ; Filho et al., 2021 ). This technology is based on a continuous liquid compost and consists of locally adapted microorganisms brewed in situ in a field-implemented biofactory, under the influence of the organomineral matrix Microgeo ® (patent number PI 0207342-0).…”

“…Soil biology (six indicators) and v. plant health (10 indicators, not assessed in the present study, Figure 1 ). The selection of analytical themes and associated indicators to specifically address biostimulant impacts and effects on crop performance departed from a literature review of research previously carried out on the studied biostimulant ( Gama et al., 2014 ; Cardoso et al., 2017 ; de Almeida et al., 2018 ; da Silva et al., 2020 ; Suarez et al., 2020 ; Filho et al., 2021 ), and complemented by Embrapa’s team institutional experience on the subject ( Hungria et al., 2009 ; Lopes et al., 2013 ; Mendes et al., 2013 ; Mendes et al., 2015 ; Mendes et al., 2018 ; de Faria et al., 2021 ).…”