Effect of Sugarcane Pressmud Biocompost on Dry Matter Yield and Nutrient Uptake in Maize

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the nutrient contents and manurial value of  biocompost, collected from Matiari Sugar Mill, Matiari and analyzed for macro nutrients N, P and K. The biocompost was evaluated in a pot experiment on maize crop  with eight treatments in factorial combinations of two rates of biocompost (0 and 10 tons ha^-1) and four fertilizer treatments (0-0-0, 150-0-0, 150-75-0 and 150-75-60 kg ha^-1 N, P and K) . The treatments were replicated three times in a randomized complete block design and maize was grown for 7 weeks. The soil was a clay loam (31% clay) with EC 0.35 dSm^-1, pH 7.87, low in organic matter (0.80%) and Olsen P (7.0 mg kg^-1) and high in NH₄OA_C-K (320 mg kg^-1). The nutrient contents of biocompost were 1.8% N, 1.83% P and 0.9% K. Results revealed that there were pronounced positive effects of addition of biocompost, as well as N on plant height and dry weights of maize. Plant analysis data showed that the effect biocompost and mineral fertilizers was non-significant with respect to N, P and K contents. Soil analytical data showed that the EC values of post harvest samples increased with the application of biocompost while pH was not affected. Soil organic matter, Olsen P and NH₄OA_C-K increased significantly with the application of biocompost. Fertilizer application also increased Olsen P and NH₄OA_C-K contents in soil. The results of this study showed that biocompost can be used along with mineral fertilizers to increase maize growth and dry matter yield.

Keywords: Maize, Dry matter yield, Pressmud Biocompost;