Introduction:

Nutrition management in the maize crop in Guanajuato, Mexico, is based on mineral fertilization, with high doses of nitrogen and reduced application of phosphorus and potassium.

Objective:

To diagnose the management of mineral nutrition and residues from the maize cropping system, and identify opportunities for their efficient use.

Methodology:

68 maize farmers from the municipalities of Salvatierra and Valle de Santiago, Guanajuato, were surveyed. Plot soils were sampled, and yield, nutrient concentration and C mineralization were estimated. With the data obtained, graphs of the balance of N, P, K and C were made.

Results:

Nutrition management and biomass production varied among farmers. Currently, P and K are not limiting factors, unlike N, since the soil only contributes 11 % of the total available nitrogen. Residue management showed that there is an imbalance between soil C mineralization and the incorporation of residues.

Study limitations:

The analysis focused on only one agricultural cycle.

Originality:

The focus of the study, including the graphical analysis, is scarcely applied in the region’s maize farming systems.

Conclusions:

An integral vision is required for the management of organo-mineral nutrition and residues to contribute to their efficient and sustainable use.