The Impact of Organic Liquid Nitrogen Fertilizer Application on Growth and Productivity of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Varieties

Abstract

Barley is a cereal used extensively in animal nutrition in the world. Nowadays, Organic practices have an important place in healthy nutrition of people and animals and protection of agricultural lands. This study was conducted to determine the effect of organic applications such as organic liquid nitrogen and barn manure on yield and quality values of barley during 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 growing seasons according to the randomized complete block design with split plot arrangements. This two-year study inferred the impact of organic liquid nitrogen fertilizer application at different growth stages on growth and productivity of barley. Organic liquid nitrogen fertilizer was applied at different phenological periods (control, tillering, beginning of booting, end of booting and heading) of spring barley varieties, Akhisar and Samyeli. Parameters such as Plant height (cm), number of heading (number m-2), hectoliter weight (kg hl-1), 1000 grain weight (g), grain yield (kg ha-1), chlorophyll content (SPAD values) and protein ratio (%) were determined in the study. All parameters investigated were significantly different (P≤0.01) between the years. Compared to the first year, higher temperature and drier weather conditions during the second year increased protein ratio in seed, while decreased starch ratio; thus, yield and yield components were lower. Yield and yield parameters of barley varieties had a negative correlation between protein ratios, while had a positive correlation with chlorophyll content. The results concluded organic liquid nitrogen application at the end of booting phenological period of Akhisar variety resulted in higher yield and improved the related traits. It has been concluded that the organic liquid fertilizer to be applied in this phenological period will increase both yield and quality in barley plants. Another result of this study was that as a result of organic applications, the yield and quality levels obtained from barley was close to conventional agriculture.