The Effect of Different Organic Nutrients on Some Quality Properties of Popcorn (Zea mays L. everta)

Abstract

Aims: Organic nutrients such as animal manures, plant-derive compost, biosolids and bioliquids contain varying amounts of plant nutrients and can improve the biological, chemical, and physical properties of soils. They are used primarily for promoting growth of a plant or improving the quality of a crop. Study was aimed to find out the effect of conventional and fifteen different organic nutrients (peat, compost, cattle manure, chicken manure, horse manure, sheep manure, pigeon manure, vermicompost, seaweed + cattle manure, compost + humic acid, cattle manure + humic acid, chicken manure + humic acid, horse manure + humic acid, sheep manure + humic acid and peat + humic acid) on some quality properties of popcorn. Study Design: Trial was designed in complete randomized block design with three replications. Ant-Cin-98 popcorn cultivar was used in the study. Each parcel comprised 4 lines. The planting was made into a depth of 5-6 cm along the lines 5 meters long with a row spacing of 70 cm and intra row of 20 cm. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in Diyarbakır - Cermik conditions of Turkey between 2010 and 2011. Methodology: The effect of conventional and fifteen different organic materials to some quality parameters of popcorn such as cob ratio, 1000-kernel weights, test weight, popping volume and number of unpopped kernel were evaluated in the study. Physical and chemical properties of the trial area were determined by taking soil sample from a depth of 0-30 cm on the trial area before planting. Results: According to the investigated results, the highest and the lowest values were ranked between 19.98% (peat + humic acid) and 17.26% (vermicompost) for cob ratio, 138.65 g (seaweed + cattle manure) and 122.48 g (chicken manure) for 1000-kernel weight, 81.29 kg hl-1 (horse manure + humic acid) and 75.62 kg hl-1 (vermicompost) for test weight, 19.71 cm³ g-1 (peat) and 17.17 cm³ g-1 (sheep manure + humic acid), for popping volume 5.92% (peat) and 3.65% (horse manure + humic acid) for number of unpopped kernel. Conclusion: Higher values were obtained from organic nutrient sources than conversional application in all tested quality parameters. The implementation of organic fertilizers together with humic acid in popcorn produced better results in comparison to alone implementation of organic fertilizers. Also it was determined that use of natural enemies of Trichogramma spp against corn borer can be possible without any chemicals.