Abstract
The aim of this research was to study the impact of application technique and rate of liquid starter fertilizer applied with a novel device on the production of corn. Starter fertilizer was applied in the root system range of freshly germinated plants in the ‘belt’ and ‘point’ forms at different quantities (35, 50, 70, and 100 L ha−1), which led to intensive plant growth in the initial stages of development. This adapted system was used for sowing and for application of the liquid starter fertilizer at the same time. The field trial was set up at two sites (two different land types), in the conditions of the natural water regime of the soil during the three vegetation seasons in the period 2016–2018. For this purpose, a prototype of the electronic device EUKU-01 was designed. The starter fertilizer was applied at 5 cm laterally from the row where the sowing was performed and 5 cm below the depth at which the corn seeds were sown. Data were statistically analyzed by two-factor analysis of variance, where the influence of mineral fertilizer treatment and the influence of liquid starter fertilizer treatment were observed as factors. The results showed that the optimal choice of the technique of liquid starter fertilizer application can result in fertilizer savings by 30% without reducing yield.
Highlights
Over the last two decades of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century, the average corn yield in the world has increased by 70%
Differences between mean values of achieved yields obtained by applying different treatments were analyzed by two-factor analysis of variance and post-hoc Tukey honest significant difference (HSD) test, where the influence of mineral fertilizer treatment and the influence of liquid starter fertilizer treatment were observed as factors
The impact of application technique and rate of liquid starter fertilizer applied with a novel device on the production of corn was presented in this study
Summary
Over the last two decades of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century, the average corn yield in the world has increased by 70%. This increase has been the result of constant progress in the breeding and development of increasingly fertile hybrids, application of different types and forms of fertilizers, and the development of agricultural machines that are used to perform the necessary technological operations [1,2,3]. Phosphorus (P) as a nutrient is crucial in the energy processes of the plant, and in synergy with zinc (Zn) directly affects the strong growth and development of roots [20,21]
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