Selected Macronutrient Uptake by Sweet Corn under Different Rates of Liquid Organic Fertilizer in Closed Agriculture System

Abstract

In the last few years, soil deterioration due to excessive application of synthetic agrochemical has become growing concern. Use of organic fertilizer is believed to be able to enhance soil quality. The objective of this experiment was to determine nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium uptakes by sweet corn as affected by local based liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) under closed agriculture system. The experiment was conducted in Closed Agriculture Production System (CAPS) Research Station in Air Duku Village, Bengkulu, Indonesia from March to June 2015, employing Randomized Completely Block Design with 2 factors. The first factor was 3 sweet corn genotypes, i.e. Talenta, Jambore, and Asian Honey and the second factor was 5 rates of LOF, i.e. 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg l-1 , respectively. Each treatment combination was replicated 3 times. Foliar application of LOF was carried out every week at 2-8 weeks after planting (WAP) with total volume of 600 ml per plant. Sweet corn leaves were sampled at the beginning of tassel emergence. The experiment revealed that sweet corn genotype significantly influenced the uptake of nitrogen, but not phosphorus and potassium. It was observed that Asian Honey genotype absorbed highest nitrogen as compared to other genotypes. In addition, increase in rates of LOF significantly raised nitrogen uptake by sweet corn, but not phosphorus and potassium.

Identification of Nutrient Contents in Six Potential Green Biomasses for Developing Liquid Organic Fertilizer in Closed Agriculture Production System

“…The use of a single green biomass for liquid organic fertilizer might provide high particular nutrient content, but low in other nutrients. This was confirmed by our previous result [12], [13], [14] where tithonia-enriched liquid organic fertilizer contained 3,36% N, 146 ppm P, and 0.033% K. Although nitrogen content of this liquid organic fertilizer somehow comply with the standard quality for organic fertilizer issued by Indonesian Standardization Board (SNI 19-7030-2004) where total N should be > 0.4 %, but P and K content were very much lower than standard (SNI-19-7030-2004) which must be above 0.10% (P 2 O 5 ) and 0.20% (K 2 O), respectively.…”

“…The source of green biomass should be a combination of several green biomasses in order to produce liquid organic fertilizer with high N, P, K, Ca, and Mg content. In addition, it also important to mixture the green biomasses with other natural composting material, such as poor soil [36], wood ash [37], cow manure [12], [13], [14], [38] in order to increase composting rates, nutrient quality and crop yields. The use of a single green biomass for liquid organic fertilizer might provide high particular nutrient content, but low in other nutrients.…”

“…The use of liquid organic fertilizers has been widely practiced for organic vegetable production. Although some publications reported that effects of liquid organic fertilizer had been successfully improved growth and yield of many vegetables, such as in lettuce [5], green cabbage [6], cauliflower [7], kaelan [8], potato [9], tomato [10] and sweet-corn [11], the use of tithonia-enriched liquid organic fertilizer in organic vegetable production have been found to be less effective in promoting growth and yield of carrot [12] and sweet corn [13], [14]. Green biomass is one of the main components to determine the effectiveness of liquid organic fertilizer for vegetable production.…”

Identification of Nutrient Contents in Six Potential Green Biomasses for Developing Liquid Organic Fertilizer in Closed Agricultural Production System

“…The source of green biomass should be a combination of several green biomasses in order to produce liquid organic fertilizer with high N, P, K, Ca, and Mg content. In addition, it also important to mixture the green biomasses with other natural composting material, such as poor soil [36], wood ash [37], cow manure [12], [13], [14], [38] in order to increase composting rates, nutrient quality and crop yields. The use of a single green biomass for liquid organic fertilizer might provide high particular nutrient content, but low in other nutrients.…”

“…The use of liquid organic fertilizers has been widely practiced for organic vegetable production. Although some publications reported that effects of liquid organic fertilizer had been successfully improved growth and yield of many vegetables, such as in lettuce [5], green cabbage [6], cauliflower [7], kaelan [8], potato [9], tomato [10] and sweet-corn [11], the use of tithonia-enriched liquid organic fertilizer in organic vegetable production have been found to be less effective in promoting growth and yield of carrot [12] and sweet corn [13], [14]. Green biomass is one of the main components to determine the effectiveness of liquid organic fertilizer for vegetable production.…”