Growth and Yield of Sweet Corn Following Green Manure in a Warm Temperate Environment on Sandy Soil

Abstract

Legumes used as green manure (GMN) may provide onfarm sources of N for subsequent crops. In warm-humid climates on sandy soils, however, there is a need to evaluate effects on growth and yield of subsequent crops when GMN substitutes for chemical N fertilizer. We collected time-series data for 2 years to evaluate growth and ear yield response of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. Rugosa) in annual rotation with GMN (summer, winter or summer plus winter GMN) and supplemented with 0, 67 or 133 kg chemical N ha )1 . Control treatments receiving 0, 67, 133, 200 or 267 kg chemical N ha )1 were used for comparison. Rotation with summer plus winter GMN resulted in more growth and yield benefit for sweet corn than did the other GMN rotations. Compared with control treatments receiving the same chemical N rates, rotation with summer plus winter GMN increased sweet corn ear yield, leaf area index and total plant dry weight and N content by 15-30 %. Despite these benefits, use of high chemical N rate (267 kg chemical N ha )1 ) resulted in ear yields at least 20 % greater than sweet corn rotated with any GMN and fertilized with reduced N rates. Largest increases in sweet corn dry weight and N content occurred between 4 and 6 weeks after emergence in all treatments. After this period of rapid growth, sweet corn fertilized with 267 kg chemical N ha )1 showed higher N content than all other treatments. Prior to this period of rapid growth, multiple rainfall events in excess of 30 mm may have resulted in leaching of N from GMN residue. Considering the high rainfall levels, low water and N retention capability of sandy soils and rapid N release from GMN during decomposition, future research of GMN in this environment should evaluate options to better match GMN termination with time of greatest potential N uptake from a subsequent crop.

Benefits of Vetch and Rye Cover Crops to Sweet Corn under No‐Tillage

“…For sandy soils, the rotation sweet corn and CCs required a supplementation of N‐fertilizer > 133 kg ha −1 to achieve maximum yields. These findings are in accordance with the other experiments where different CCs were used in the crop rotation (Balkcom and Reeves, 2005; Cherr et al, 2007; Turgut et al, 2005), when CCs did not fully supply the spring crop N demands at high production levels.…”

“…The measured soil bulk density was 1.42 and 1.57 Mg m −3 at the 0‐ to 5‐ and 5‐ to 30‐cm depths, and soil water field capacity was 0.10 to 0.12 m 3 m −3 for the 0‐ to 30‐cm soil depth. The field had cultivated under no‐tillage systems since 2001, but previously had remained in long‐term grass pasture (Cherr et al, 2007). Overhead irrigation was applied at germination and thereafter at 2‐d intervals based on crop water requirements in the absence of rain.…”

Potential of Rhizobium sullae–Sulla coronaria Symbiotic Biological Nitrogen Fixation to Supplement Synthetic Mineral Nitrogen in Olive Tree Fertilization

“…In fact, the values recorded in April were significantly higher than those recorded in February and March (Table 1). Sulla biomass characterized by a higher C/N ratio is less suitable for the fertilization of olive plants with green manure [22,23]. Based on the best experimental results obtained in 2016, the subsequent biennial trial of olive tree fertilization with green manure used a seeding density equal to 60 kg of seed per hectare, and the month of March was chosen as the best time to bury the biomass.…”

Yield and fruit quality of four sweet corn hybrids (Zea mays) under conventional and integrated fertilization with vermicompost

“…Previous studies have shown that the use of organic fertilizers, both alone or in combination with inorganic fertilizers, can increase ear quality and grain nutrient content of sweet corn further than with inorganic fertilization alone28 and that the nutritional quality of vermicompost‐treated crops is superior 6. However, other studies have shown no such differences23 or even decreased nutrient content as a result of organic fertilization 22, 29. As far as we know, the effects of vermicompost on sweet corn nutrient content have not been evaluated until now.…”