Agrochemical Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Amino Energy and Potassium Humate on Corn Yield by Agro.Bio
To evaluate the effectiveness of humic fertilizers derived from various caustobioliths, field experiments with corn were conducted in 2019 at the Agro.Bio experimental farm on ordinary medium-loamy chernozem. The plot was plowed to a depth of 22–25 cm, with sorghum as the preceding crop. Before sowing, early spring harrowing and pre-sowing cultivation were performed. Sowing was carried out on May 9 with simultaneous fertilizer application. During the growing season, two inter-row cultivations and two weedings were performed. The experiments were conducted with 4 replications, the plot area for recording was 42 m², and the experimental error did not exceed 3%.
Yield accounting was performed for silage mass and grain. The baseline was unfertilized.
Experiment Results
Effect of Amino Energy on Corn Silage Mass Yield
| Experiment Variant | Yield, cwt/ha | Including Ears, cwt/ha | Silage Mass Increase, cwt/ha | Increase, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control | 207 | 61 | — | — |
| Amino Energy (1 L/ha) | 226 | 70 | 16 | 9 |
| Amino Energy (1.5 L/ha) | 230 | 76 | 23 | 11 |
| Amino Energy (2 L/ha) | 238 | 76 | 31 | 14 |
| Amino Energy (2.5 L/ha) | 234 | 73 | 27 | 13 |
| Nitrogen, equivalent to variants 2, 3, 4 | 220 | 63 | 13 | 6 |
Note: The Amino Energy preparation uses a patented nitrogen form - N,N-dimethyl urea methanate (a special formula of nitrogen compounds and acid synthesis).
Amino Energy in different dosages showed similar effectiveness, significantly surpassing the equivalent amount of nitrogen applied with ammonium nitrate. The optimal dose of Amino Energy was 2 L/ha.
Effect of Potassium Humate on Corn Silage Mass Yield
| Experiment Variant | Average of Replications | Yield, cwt/ha | Including Ears, cwt/ha | Silage Mass Increase, cwt/ha | Increase, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control | 87.0 | 207 | 61.4 | — | — |
| Potassium Humate (0.5 L/ha) | 91.2 | 221 | 65.7 | 14 | 7 |
| Potassium Humate (1.5 L/ha) | 95.7 | 228 | 70.0 | 21 | 10 |
| Potassium Humate (2 L/ha) | 104.4 | 248 | 75.7 | 41 | 20 |
| NP, equivalent to variant 2 | 86.7 | 206 | 62.8 | — | — |
Potassium humate showed varying effectiveness depending on the dosage. The highest yield increase (41 cwt/ha, 20%) was achieved with an application of 2 L/ha, while the lowest was with 0.5 L/ha (14 cwt/ha, 7%).
Recommendation: Optimal conditions for plant treatment are in the morning or evening at air temperatures of 10–25°C.
Effect of Amino Energy on Corn Grain Yield
| Experiment Variant | Average of Replications | Yield, cwt/ha | Increase, cwt/ha | Increase, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control | 10.7 | 21.4 | — | — |
| Amino Energy (1 L/ha) | 12.5 | 25.0 | 3.6 | 17 |
| Amino Energy (1.5 L/ha) | 12.5 | 25.0 | 3.6 | 17 |
| Amino Energy (2 L/ha) | 13.0 | 26.0 | 4.6 | 21 |
Effect of Potassium Humate on Corn Grain Yield
| Experiment Variant | Yield, cwt/ha | Increase, cwt/ha | Increase, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control | 21.4 | — | — |
| Potassium Humate (1.3 L/ha) | 23.0 | 1.6 | 6.9 |
| Potassium Humate (1.5 L/ha) | 23.0 | 1.6 | 6.9 |
| Potassium Humate (2 L/ha) | 23.4 | 2.0 | 8.5 |
| NP, equivalent to variant 2 | 21.8 | 0.4 | 1.8 |
Note: Amino Energy and potassium humate were prepared and applied in the same manner as in previous experiments.
Amino Energy and potassium humate in the specified dosages showed similar effectiveness. The grain yield increase was higher with Amino Energy (up to 4.6 cwt/ha, 21%) compared to potassium humate (up to 2 cwt/ha, 8.5%). The effectiveness of the equivalent amount of mineral fertilizers (NP) was slightly lower.
Overall Assessment
Agro.Bio preparations (Amino Energy and potassium humate) significantly outperform equivalent amounts of mineral fertilizers in effectiveness, especially for corn silage mass. The dosages of the preparations substantially affect economic indicators, with the optimal dose being 2 L/ha for both fertilizers.
Conclusions
- Humic fertilizers (Amino Energy and potassium humate) in various dosages are similar in effectiveness but significantly outperform an equivalent set of mineral fertilizers.
- The choice of raw materials for producing humic fertilizers should be based on regional availability and economic feasibility.