Application of manures reduces inorganic fertilizers requirement for maize grown in a sandy soil

Abstract

Abstract The use of inorganic fertilizers with high doses is not recommended in the sustainable maize production program. The present study aimed to evaluate soil chemical properties and growth of maize plants treated with several types of manure to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers in sandy soil. An experiment was conducted in dryland with pumped deep-well water in Gumantar Village, North Lombok Regency, from May to July 2021. There were three types of manure tested: cow, poultry, and goat manures (20 ton/ha) treated with and without BeKa decomposer. All the manure treatments received 75% of chemical fertilizers applied in the control treatment (500 kg of urea and 380 kg/ha of NPK Phonska). The treatments were arranged in a randomized block design with three replicates. The results showed that the poultry manure treatments, with and without decomposer, increased soil pH significantly. This increase improved soil chemical properties, such as available P and K. Plant height, stem diameter, leaf area index at silking, and total N in leaf tissue, were not significantly different among the treatments. These results showed that the application of manures, with or without decomposer, could substitute 25% of the inorganic fertilizers needed by maize plants grown in sandy soil.