The Influence of Different Types of Fertilizers on Productivity and Quality of Maize in the Area of Kwaew Noi Bamrungdan Dam, Phitsanulok Province, Thailand

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to improve the productivity and quality of corn. The test plant was located at Moo 2 Ban Nongping, Tha-Ngarm sub-district, Watbot District, Phitsanulok province, Thailand; and the test was undertaken throughout June 2011 to September 2011. Six experimental models were arranged in RCBD with three replications consisting of eighteen field plots. Each model was designated as T0 (no fertilizer: Control group), T1 (pellet organic fertilizer from farm manure), T2 (granular organic bio-fertilizer), T3 (chemical and granular organic fertilizer), T4 (chemical fertilizer from the soil analysis programs) and T5 (chemical and granular organic fertilizer with hormones mixed formula). Each type of fertilizer was used at a rate of fifty (50) kilograms per Rai. The corn seed used in the testing was type NK#48. Plant environmental data, vegetative growth data were collected every ten days. Yields, yield components and production costs were also collected. The data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and DMRT at a 95% level of confidence. The analysis on the chemical property of the fertilizers indicated the maximum macro-nutrients ranking from Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus, respectively. The model having the highest macro-nutrients was T4 (chemical fertilizer from soil analysis programs). The model containing the highest secondary nutrients was T5 (chemical and granular organic fertilizer with hormones mixed formula). The vegetative growth data which was the measure of the stem heights and size, leaf length and leaf width were designated T4, T5, T3, T2, T1 and T0, respectively. It was clear that this result was a function of the Nitrogen level contained in the fertilizers. According to the study results on yield components in terms of the length and a diameter of corn ear, total weight per corn ear, weight of kernels per ear and weight of 100 kernels, the maximum outputs were ranked from T4, T5, T3, T2, T1 and T0 models. The highest number of withered kernels and the heaviest corn husk were T0, T1, and T2, respectively. The models having greatest weight productivity per Rai were T4, T5, T3, T2, T1 and T0 models (1,319 kg, 1,305 kg, 970 kg, 857 kg, 775 kg, and 428 kg respectively). The results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between T5 and T4 models in relation to the weight productivity per Rai. In the study of total production costs, it was found that the minimum production costs per Rai were T0, T5, T2, T1, T3 and T4 models (8,288, 8,538, 9,080, 9,238, 9,438, 10,108 Baht per Rai, respectively). When compared with the yields, the least cost of corn production per one kilogram were T5 and T4 models with no statistically significant difference between the two. Therefore, the model that should be encouraged and promoted to the farmers for sustainable production was T5 model; this type of fertilizer contained a balance of nutrients, soil amendments and effective microorganisms. In addition, it provided high productivity with the highest financial return.