Green manures (Fabaceae) and bokashi: An alternative to replace inorganic fertilizers in corn cultivation

Abstract

Objective: To determine the production of forage, green corn and corn grain depending on the bokashi (BOK) and green manures - Crotalaria juncea (CROJUN), Canavalia ensiformis (CAJCAJ) and Cajanus cajan (CANENS) used exclusively or combined with native efficient microorganisms (NEM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), in order to identify the best alternatives to replace inorganic fertilizers (IF) in the H-520 corn cultivation.

Design/methodology/approach: The following treatments were evaluated: 28 t ha^-1 of BOK+NEM+AMF, CROJUN, CAJCAJ, CANENS, CROJUN+NEM+AMF, CAJCAJ+NEM+MI, CANENS+NEM+AMF 100 and 50% of the IF 62-00-00 kg/ha of N-P₂O₅-K₂O (IF100 and IF50) and one unfertilized treatment.

Results: The biomass produced by CROJUN exceeded that of CAJCAJ, fertilization treatments had different effects on forage production, corn characteristics and yields of corn, totomoxtle, ears and grains, with BOK+NEM+AMF, CROJUN and CANENS standing out.

Limitations on study/implications: The study demonstrates that BOK and green manures are alternatives to replace IF. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings, adjust the amount of bokashi or to include other green manures, either exclusively or in combination with NEM and

Findings/conclusions: BOK combined with NEM and MI, as well as the green manures C. juncea and C. ensiformis with a biomass production of 2.1 or 6.3 t ha^-1 together with the biomass of local weeds, are agroecological alternatives that can promote forage, green corn and corn grain yields similar or higher than those obtained with IF.