Economic efficiency of growing grain corn using new biofertilizers based on sewage sludge

Abstract

The results of evaluation of economic efficiency of grain corn cultivation in the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine, in which biofertilizers on the basis of sewage sludge (SS) of biological treatment plants (BTP) «Southern» and «Northern» Odessa with the addition of vegetable fillers winter and sunflower seed husks) with the participation of phosphate-mobilizing bacteria Microbacterium barkeri LP-1 were used. The use of native SSs of both BTPs in comparison with the control increases the yield (by 0.7 t/ha or by 16.6% — BTP «Southern» and 1.0 t/ha or by 23.8% BTP «Northern») with an increase in costs per 1 hectare of sown area (3677 UAH or 40.4% — BTP «Southern» and 3703.2 UAH or 40.6% — BTP «Northern»). Under these conditions, the cost of 1 ton of product increases by UAH 500 UAH/t, which is 21.5% of BTP «Southern» and 351.4 UAH/t, which is 15.1% of BTP «North». In proportion to the growth of productivity, the amount of profit, which is UAH 853.4, also increased. UAH/ha or 3.8% of BTP «Southern» and 3001.3 UAH/ha, or 13.5% of BTP «North». As a result of additional costs associated with the use of organic fertilizers in the form of SSs, the level of profitability decreased by 26.0 percentage points. — BTP «Southern» and 19.2 percentage points. — BTP «North». Under the conditions of application of bioorganic fertilizer with straw in comparison with the absolute control, the grain yield of corn increases (by 1.5 t/ha or by 33.3% — BTP «Southern» and 2.2 t/ha or by 48.8% — BTP «Northern») with an increase in costs per 1 hectare of sown area (4221.7 UAH or 46.4% — BTP «Southern» and 4282.8 UAH or 47.0% — BTP «Northern»). In proportion to the increase in yield, the amount of profit, which amounts to UAH 6,034.6 / ha, also increased significantly. When applying bioorganic fertilizer with sunflower seed husk in comparison with absolute control, the grain yield of corn increases (by 1.5 t/ha or by 33.3% — BTP «Southern» and 2.3 t/ha or by 51.1 — BTP «Northern») with an increase in costs per 1 ha of sown area (4224.4 UAH or 46.4% — BTP «Southern» and 4294.2 UAH or 47.2% — BTP «Northern»). In proportion to the increase in yield, the amount of profit also increased significantly, amounting to UAH 6,032.0 / ha or 27.1% of BTP «Southern»and 11,760.3 UAH/ha, or 52.9% of BTP «Northern». Due to the outstripping growth of corn grain yield in comparison with the increase of costs when applying bioorganic fertilizer, the increase of indicators of economic efficiency of corn grain cultivation is achieved. The factors that underlie the increase in production efficiency — yield, profit and profitability.