Effects of Organomineral Fertilizers on Micronutrient Uptake of Maize (Zea mays)

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different organomineral fertilizer treatments (granular and liquid) on the micronutrient concentration of maize (Zea mays L. var. Karadeniz yıldızı) plants grown in soils collected from the Ağrı/Eleşkirt region of Türkiye. Maize plants were grown in pots filled with soil (2 kg). Two granular (G) and liquid (L) organomineral fertilizers were applied at rates of 100 of the technical recommendation and plant micronutrient (iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and boron ( B)) contents were analyzed. The harvested plant samples were digested in concentrated nitric perchloric acid mixture, and the concentrations of Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn in the extraction solution was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry device, and the concentration of B was measured by spectrophotometry device.There were significant differences among the organomineral fertilizers in terms of their effects. Plant (Fe) concentrationswere varied from 65.50 to 73.78 mg kg-1, Cu concentrations from 10.10 to 10.90 mg kg-1, Zn concentrations from 22.10 to 23.90 mg kg-1, Mn concentrations from 19.67 to22.25 mg kg-1 and B concentrationsfrom11.12 to12.77. The highest values were obtained from the liquid organomineral fertilizer treatments and the lowest values (except for Mn) were obtained from the control treatments.Further research is recommended with the same organomineral fertilizers and soil types, but this time with different doses and under field conditions to investigate plant reactions to two organomineral fertilizers (solid/granular and liquid) and to identify optimum doses.