Production and Nutrient Uptake of Sweet Corn Treated with Manure ‘plus’ and Inorganic Fertilizer

Abstract

Most of the land in Indonesia used for food-crops production belongs to acid soil characterized by low phosphorus (P), and low pH. Rock phosphate (RP) and scallop shell meal as phosphorus source, combined with manure maybe a promising technique to overcome those problems. A field experiment was conducted on an acid soil (low pH and low available Bray II extractable P) to evaluate the effect of manure, manure ‘plus’ (RP and scallop shell meal, combined with manure), and inorganic fertilizer on corn production and nutrient uptake of stover. A completely randomized block design with 3 replicates was used. The treatments were manure (T1), manure ‘plus’ (T2), RP+ZA (T3), SP+urea (T4), manure+RP+ZA (T5), manure+SP+urea (T6), manure ‘plus’+RP+ZA (T7), manure ‘plus’+SP+urea (T8). Dosage of manure was 1 ton/ha. Dosage of N, and P was 200 kg N/ha, and 150 kg P2O5/ha, respectively. All plot received basal fertilization of KCl (150 kg K2O/ha). Zea mays saccharata was cut at ground level on 70 days after planting and analyzed for dry matter yield, nitrogen and phosphorus uptake. Result showed that corn production and nutrient uptake, significantly influenced by the treatment. Manure ‘plus’ (T2) resulted nutrient uptake of stover significantly higher compared to manure (T1). Manure ‘plus’ combined with inorganic fertilizers (T7, T8) resulted in significantly higher of corn production and nutrient uptake compared to T1 and T2, and tend to be higher compared to the other treatments. Therefore, manure ‘plus’ (RP+scallop shell meal+manure) could improve the quality of manure and increased corn production and nutrient uptake in acid soil.