Biomass Accumulation and Technical and Economic Efficiency of Potassium Sources Applied via Fertigation to Corn
Fernando Rodrigues Cabral Filho,
Frederico Antonio Loureiro Soares,
Daniely Karen Matias Alves,
Marconi Batista Teixeira,
Fernando Nobre Cunha,
Edson Cabral da Silva,
Cícero Teixeira Silva Costa,
Nelmício Furtado da Silva,
Gabriela Nobre Cunha,
Wendson Soares da Silva Cavalcante
Affiliations
Fernando Rodrigues Cabral Filho
Department of Hydraulics and Irrigation, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Goiano, Rio Verde 75901-170, Brazil
Frederico Antonio Loureiro Soares
Department of Hydraulics and Irrigation, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Goiano, Rio Verde 75901-170, Brazil
Daniely Karen Matias Alves
Department of Hydraulics and Irrigation, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Goiano, Rio Verde 75901-170, Brazil
Marconi Batista Teixeira
Department of Hydraulics and Irrigation, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Goiano, Rio Verde 75901-170, Brazil
Fernando Nobre Cunha
Department of Hydraulics and Irrigation, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Goiano, Rio Verde 75901-170, Brazil
Edson Cabral da Silva
Department of Hydraulics and Irrigation, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Goiano, Rio Verde 75901-170, Brazil
Cícero Teixeira Silva Costa
Natural Resources and Agricultural Technologies (RENTA), Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Mato Grosso do Sul, Naviraí 79950-000, Brazil
Nelmício Furtado da Silva
Department of Hydraulics and Irrigation, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Goiano, Rio Verde 75901-170, Brazil
Gabriela Nobre Cunha
Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás—PUC Goiás, Goiania 74605-900, Brazil
Wendson Soares da Silva Cavalcante
Department of Biochemistry and Plant Physiology, University of Rio Verde—UniRV, Rio Verde 75901-970, Brazil
To achieve high corn yield, optimal amounts of nutrients that can be extracted by the crop must be supplied at adequate proportions. Vinasse from sugarcane ethanol production can be applied as a soil fertilizer to corn crops in ethanol production plants. In this context, the present study compared the effects of mineral potassium fertilization with potassium chloride and organic fertilization with concentrated sugarcane vinasse on corn dry matter and grain yield and explored the technical and economic efficiency of these sources. The experiment was carried out at the experimental station of the Federal Institute Goiano, Rio Verde Campus, Brazil. The experiment followed a randomized block design in a 2 × 4 factorial scheme, with three replicates. The treatments comprised two sources of potassium, namely concentrated vinasse and potassium chloride, applied at four doses of potassium, representing 0%, 50%, 100%, and 200% of the recommended rate for corn. The dry matter accumulation of corn throughout the crop cycle, yield components at harvest, and technical and economic efficiency of the applied potassium sources were measured. Neither potassium dose nor its source affected leaf, stem, and aboveground dry matter accumulation at harvest. Regardless of the potassium source, the 100% dose produced higher cob dry mass, grain dry mass, grain dry mass per ear, grain yield, number of bags of 60 kg ha−1 produced per hectare, and harvest index. The agronomic efficiency of vinasse compared to potassium chloride was 68.5% at the 100% dose of the recommendation, showing enough potential as an organic fertilizer in corn crop.
