Phosphorus Uptakes and Yields of Sweet Corn Grown under Organic Production System

Abstract

Organic production system for sweet corn applied both solid and liquid organic fertilizer. The use liquid organic fertilizer potentially changes the availability of phosphorus for organically grown sweet-corn. Phosphorus absorption in sweet corn production determines the quality and quality of crop yields. This study aimed to determine the relationship between phosphorus uptakes and yields of sweet corn. A field experiment was arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. Twenty sweet corn varieties were grown under organic environment where soil was fertilized with 30 tons ha-1 of cattle-based vermicompost. At 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after planting, each plant was additionally sprayed with thitonia-enriched liquid organic fertilizer of 50, 100, 200, 300 ml plant-1. Observations were conducted on phosphorus uptakes by plant, leaf phosphorus content, shoot dry weight per plot, days to harvesting, weight of husked ear, and weight of unhusked ear as well as sweet corn yield per plot. Results indicated that phosphorus uptakes by sweet corn significantly increased leaf phosphorus content, (r=0.56), shoot dry weight per plot (r=0.83), weight of husked ear (r=0.60), weight of unhusked ear (r=0.56) and sweet corn yield per plot (r=0.70). Phosphorus uptakes by sweet corn also significantly decreased days to harvesting (r=-0.27). In conclusion, phosphorus uptakes determined growth and yields sweet corn grown under fully organic environment.