Resumo

FORTIS-HERNANDEZ, Manuel et al. Application of Organic Fertilizers in the Production of Forage Corn with Drip Irrigation. Terra Latinoam [online]. 2009, vol.27, n.4, pp.329-336. ISSN 2395-8030.

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effect of the application of organic fertilizers (biocompost and vermicompost) on the yield of yellow corn forage hybrid under drip irrigation. The treatments consisted of the application of biocompost (30 Mg ha^-1), vermicompost (10 Mg ha^-1), chemical fertilization 200-100-100 kg ha^-1 (N-P-K) and a control treatment without fertilizers. The experimental design was randomized blocks. The evaluated variables were forage yield, dry matter, crude protein, detergent acid fiber, detergent neutral fiber, nitrates, electrical conductivity and percentage of exchangeable sodium. The greatest yield of forage was produced by vermicompost (64 Mg ha^-1) and by biocompost (56 Mg ha^-1), dry matter was 13 and 11 Mg ha^-1, respectively. Chemical fertilization produced 48 Mg ha^-1 of forage and the highest value for crude protein, 12.68%, followed by the control, 11.22%; nevertheless, biocompost (10.41%) and vermicompost (10.23%) stayed within the optimal rank (10.33%) for this crop. Biocompost produced the highest value for detergent acid fiber (28.68%), nitrate content (49.44 mg kg^-1), percentage of exchangeable sodium (4.19) and electrical conductivity (2.85 mS cm^-1). The highest value for detergent neutral fiber was for chemical fertilization and test treatment with 52.18%.

Palavras-chave : Zea mays; biocompost; vermicompost.