Efficiency of Amino Energy Agro.Bio as an organo-mineral fertilizer for potatoes and vegetables in southern Ukraine

Taking into account the opening opportunities, as well as the high responsiveness of potatoes and vegetables to organic fertilizers, experiments were carried out in the Kherson region to establish the feasibility of including humic fertilizers in the number of measures designed to ensure high yields of these crops in this zone.

The experiments were carried out on two control fields of the company Agro.Bio . The fields are located both on sandy soils and chestnut soils in the area of Kherson.

A characteristic feature of the sandy soils on which the experiments were carried out is their very low water capacity (20%) and insignificant absorption capacity (1-3 meq.). They consist of 93-98% pure quartz. The content of humus in them does not exceed 11.0%, total phosphorus - 0.0.7%, total nitrogen - 0.06%, total potassium - 0.2%.

Due to the high water permeability (200 mm in 4-6 minutes), the sands are easily washed to a considerable depth during irrigation and dry out very quickly. The moisture content of this soil drops to 1-2% a day after watering. The annual amount of precipitation in the Kherson region of sands does not exceed 350 mm. All this taken together causes very low soil fertility. Getting high yields here is practically impossible without artificial irrigation and the introduction of large amounts of organic and mineral fertilizers.

The chestnut soils on which the experiments were carried out are characterized by a low content of humus (up to 2%), a relatively low absorption capacity (about 21–25 mEq) , and a high base saturation. They are also not rich in mobile forms of nitrogen and phosphorus. The upper horizon of these soils is dispersed and structureless. According to the mechanical composition, they belong to medium loams.

Both sandy and chestnut soils are most in need of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. Their introduction in combination with organic gives the greatest effect. These soils have a weakly alkaline reaction (pH of water extract 7.1–7.3). Sodium constitutes 3–5% of the absorbed cations.

This article reports only the results of experiments carried out in 2020 and 2021 with sharply different meteorological conditions.

In 2020, the conditions for most vegetable crops, and especially for potatoes, cabbage and tomatoes, were not quite favorable. June was especially hot and dry. The average air temperature was 3°C higher than the long-term one. On the soil surface in the region of Kherson, it reached 45°. This was very unfavorable for tuberization in potatoes, and massive drying of the lower leaves was observed in tomatoes.

July was generally more favorable for tuber growth and fruit set. The precipitation contributed to the normal development of crops.

August was especially hot and dry. The air temperature was 1.3° above the long-term average. Air humidity dropped to 16%, and the temperature on the soil surface reached 38-40°C. Excessive heat acted on the ripening of fruits, accelerating it. As a result of abnormal maturation, the fruits had a reduced dense residue (by 0.8–1.1%, lower than usual).

Meteorological conditions in 2021 for potatoes and vegetables, with the exception of eggplant, were quite favorable. In the third decade of May, the air temperature turned out to be 5.3° below the long-term temperature. As a result, the survival of eggplant after planting in the ground was very slow.

In the first and second decades of June, the air temperature was also low—3.3° below the long-term average—and sharply retarded the growth and development of eggplant. At the same time, all other vegetable crops and potatoes developed quite normally. Only from the end of the third decade of June, with the onset of warm days, eggplants noticeably began to grow.

July and August were also relatively cool months, which had a very favorable effect on the formation of the harvest of vegetables and especially potatoes, but not particularly well on eggplant.

Thus, in terms of meteorological conditions, 2020 as a whole can be considered unfavorable for potatoes and most vegetable crops, and 2021, on the contrary, is quite favorable; for the conditions of the arid south of Ukraine.

Experiments on the Kherson vegetable plot were carried out in a grass-field 6-field crop rotation with such an alternation of crops: 1 - perennial grasses, 2 - perennial grasses, 3 - tomatoes, eggplants, 4 - cabbage, cucumbers, 5 - onions, legumes, 6 - potatoes, corn.

In all crop rotation fields, the main fertilizer Amino Energy Agro.Bio is applied annually at the rate of N ₃₀ P ₆₀ K ₃₀ kg/ha.

Thus, the study of the effectiveness of our product Amino Energy Agro.Bio , applied locally, was carried out against the background of the main fertilizer, NPK, the rate of which was changed only for potatoes, namely N ₄₅ P ₇₅ K ₆₀ . In all experiments, the repetition was fourfold, the size of the accounting plot was 50 m ² .

For the convenience of considering the obtained experimental material on the effectiveness of Amino Energy Agro.Bio , the results of the experiments are grouped by crops.

Potato

The first task that was set when setting up experiments with potatoes was to establish the comparative effectiveness of humophos and the norms of mineral and organic fertilizers generally accepted by agrotechnical rules during seeding application.

For this purpose, on sandy soils, the effects of 1 l/ha of Amino Energy Agro.Bio applied to the nest were compared with the effect of 500 g of peat, as well as a mixture of 500 g of peat and mineral fertilizers, also applied to the nests. Various doses of Amino Energy Agro.Bio were also studied : 1L/ha, 2L/ha, and 3L/ha per nest. On chestnut soils, in addition, the effect of equal doses of Amino Energy Agro.Bio and humus with local application was compared.

Results of experiments on sandy soils.

Experiments on sandy soil were carried out in 2020 on the control field No. 1, and in 2021 on the fields of the control field No. 2. Both in the 2020 experiment and in the 2021 experiment, the main fertilizer was not applied. In the spring, after pre-sowing cultivation, the field was marked out 70 X 70 cm. When planting potatoes, fertilizer was applied according to the experimental scheme. The landing took place on 14 April. In 2021, the landing was made on June 19.

During the summer of 2020, potatoes received 3 irrigations and 3 inter-row loosenings, and in 2021 — 2 irrigations and 4 loosenings. The repetition of the experiment in 2020 (with a registration plot size of 25 m ² ) was 4 times, and in 2021 (a plot size of 66 m ² ) was 3 times. Harvesting in 2020 was carried out on August 30, and in 2021 on August 1.

The results of these experiments are given in table. one.

Table 1

Comparative efficiency of various doses of humophos and generally accepted norms of fertilizers

The table shows that the effect of Amino Energy Agro.Bio applied to potatoes on sandy soils is not inferior in its effectiveness to a mixture of 10 tons of peat and 1.7 q of mineral fertilizers per hectare applied locally. However, the effectiveness of these fertilizers has fluctuated over the years. The greatest increase in potato yield was given by organo- mineral fertilizers in the experiment in 2021, that is, in a more favorable year for this crop. The relatively high yield for sandy soils and large gains from the use of organo-mineral fertilizers in 2021 are explained, first of all, by a sufficient amount of moisture (in addition to two irrigations, a significant amount of precipitation fell during the summer) and lower than usual temperatures at the time of tuberization.

The data obtained also show that locally applied mineral fertilizers have a much smaller effect than their mixture with peat, and in the sharply dry year 2020 they did not have a positive effect at all.

As for the dosages of Amino Energy Agro.Bio , then, judging by this experience (its results are consistent with other experiments that are not given here), the most rational dose of its introduction into nests on sandy soils in southern Ukraine should be considered 2 l / ha . It should be noted that the effect of Amino Energy Agro.Bio was manifested from the very beginning of plant growth. They sharply differed from the control ones in more intense leaf color and powerful bush development. The emergence of seedlings accelerated by 4-8 days, and flowering by 4-6.

Results of experiments on chestnut soils. In 2020, an experiment was carried out with the summer planting of potatoes, the purpose of which was to find an effective dose of Amino Energy Agro.Bio . The experiment was established on July 15 with vernalized tubers (2 tubers per nest with a distance between nests of 70 X 70 cm) . Fertilizer was treated at planting at the rate of 1.3 l \ t Amino Energy Agro.Bio and 500-1000 g of humus per nest. During the growing season of potatoes, 3 irrigations were carried out at an irrigation rate of 500 m ^{3 of} water per hectare, 6 loosenings. The results of this experience are given in table. 2.

table 2

The effect of different doses of Amino Energy Agro.Bio and humus on the yield of summer planted potatoes

(according to experience in the Kherson region in 2020)

Experience shows that under the influence of the studied fertilizers, not only the potato yield increases, but also its quality improves. In terms of the efficiency of one liter per hectare, Amino Energy Agro.Bio turned out to be equal to ten times the amount of humus.

In order to test the results of this experiment, two more experiments were carried out in 2021 with the same goals. The first experiment was laid on June 25 according to the above method and with the same variety.

The results of this experience are given in table. 3.

Table 3 

(based on experience in the Kherson region in 2021)

As can be seen from the table, the results of this experiment basically coincide with the experience of last year, but the application of 100 c/ha of humus in 2021 turned out to be slightly more effective than 1 l/ha of Amino Energy Agro.Bio .

In order to clarify the doses of Amino Energy Agro.Bio and compare their effect with different doses of humus, another experiment was carried out in 2021 with the summer planting of potatoes. Planting was done on July 9 with vernalized tubers. During the planting of potatoes in the nests, 1l/ha, 1.5l/ha and 2l/ha of Amino Energy Agro.Bio and humus were treated, which corresponded to six, ten and twenty centners of fertilizer per hectare. Potato care was as follows: on July 25 and 29, seedling harrowing, on August 1, August 15, August 28 and September 12, loosening in two directions, on August 10 and August 29, loosening in nests, on September 7 and 17, watering at the rate of 600 m ^{3 of} water per hectare. Cleaning done on 9.11.2021

The results of the experience are given in table. four.

Table 4

Comparative effectiveness of different doses of  Amino Energy Agro.Bio  and  humus

(based on experience in Kherson region 2021)

Experience shows that the most rational dose of Amino Energy Agro.Bio for potatoes is 1.5 l/ha. An equal dose of humus was not very effective.

Due to the fact that potatoes always show an increased need for potassium nutrition, our product already contains potassium (5%), which is designed to serve as a source of not only humic acids, but also mineral food at the initial stage of plant development.

In 2021, another experiment was made in the same direction, but with an earlier variety. The experiment was established on May 6 on the Agro.Bio control field in 5 repetitions. The accounting area of the plot is 4 m ² , Planting is square-nested 60X60 cm. During planting, Amino Energy Agro.Bio was applied at the rate of 2l/ha . Under the experiment, one water-charging and two vegetative irrigations were given. Irrigation norm 800 m ³ .

As the following experience shows, the combination of mineral top-dressings and seed dressing of Amino Energy Agro.Bio gives particularly good results . Such an experiment was laid on April 2, 2019 at an experimental site in the Kherson region. P experience - 2.9%. As a planting phosphate fertilizer (control), superphosphate was given at the rate of 10 kg/ha of the active substance. Amino Energy Agro.Bio was aligned in phosphorus with this norm of superphosphate, for which it was required to apply it at the rate of 2 l / ha. The first top dressing for both options was given to shoots in the form of superphosphate and ammonium sulfate, 15 kg/ha of active ingredient. The second was introduced during flowering in the form of superphosphate and potassium salt, also 15 kg / haactive substance.

Observations showed that potatoes fertilized with Amino Energy Agro.Bio were significantly better in appearance and developed faster than those fertilized with superphosphate. So, during the period of mass flowering on June 14, 2019, after giving both top dressings, 42.7% of potato bushes bloomed on the variant with Amino Energy Agro.Bio , and only 31.4% with superphosphate. The results of this experience are given in table. 5 .

Table 5

The impact on the potato yield of a combination of planting fertilizers,

Amino Energy Agro.Bio  and mineral supplements

(Based on experiments at the control plot in 2019)

As can be seen from the above data, the difference in yield when different forms of planting fertilizers were combined with mineral supplements in our experiment depended entirely on the form of planting fertilizer. So, two mineral top dressings gave a 29.6% yield increase in the case of applying superphosphate, and 31.9% for Amino Energy Agro.Bio . At the same time, the introduction of only one of our preparations provided a yield increase of 34.9%. The joint application of Amino Energy Agro.Bio with mineral supplements increased the yield of potatoes by 66.8%.

Tomatoes

The experiments with tomatoes pursued basically the same goals as those with potatoes, but they were set up according to shorter schemes. They were carried out on sandy soils and on chestnut soils of the Kherson region.

Results of experiments on sandy soils. The experiments were aimed at establishing the comparative effectiveness of Amino Energy Agro.Bio , peat and mineral fertilizers when applied locally.

In the experiment with tomatoes in 2020, the following agricultural technique was adopted: in the fall of 2019, 3 quintals of superphosphate were added for autumn plowing . In addition, 20 tons of manure and 3 centners of superphosphate per hectare were given for the previous crop. On June 12, seedlings were planted in the ground using a square-nesting method. During the growing season, 7 loosenings and 11 irrigations were carried out.

The area under the experiment in 2021 was not fertilized with the main fertilizer. Seedlings were planted on June 18 and during the growing season 9 waterings and the same amount of loosening were carried out, the experiments were laid in 3 repetitions with a registration plot size of 62.5 m ² .

The 2020 harvest started on August 4th and ended on September 8th. B. 2021 - started on August 23 and ended on September 28.

1. Control . 2. NP. 3. Peat + NP. 4. Amino Energy Agro.Bio.

Fertilizers were applied to the hole before planting at the rate of Amino Energy Agro.Bio - 2 l / ha , peat - 500 g, N _ca - 3.5 g and P _c -3.8 g per nest. It should be noted that the differences in the state of plants by variants were especially noticeable in 2020. The results of the harvest for these experiments are given in Table. 6 .

Table 6

Comparative performance of Amino  Energy  Agro . Bio , peat and mineral fertilizers on sandy soils under tomatoes

(  according to the experience of 2020 and 2021, in the Kherson region)

The data obtained show that Amino Energy Agro.Bio applied locally was more effective than 500 g of peat and mineral fertilizers with the same application method, and was approximately equal to the effect of these fertilizers applied together. There is no doubt that the application of Amino Energy Agro.Bio in the amount of 2l/ha is much more effective than the application of 10 tons of peat mixed with 1.7 q of mineral fertilizers per hectare, since the cost of one liter of Amino Energy Agro.Bio is 225 UAH., and a ton of peat in this area exceeds 800 UAH!.

Results of experiments on chestnut soils. Two experiments with tomatoes were carried out on a control plot in the Kherson region. One pursued the goal of finding the effective dosage of Amino Energy Agro.Bio when applied locally for tomatoes, the other was to establish whether this organo-mineral fertilizer would be effective when applied foliarly. In the first trial, different dosages of Amino Energy Agro.Bio (1.3 liters per ton of seeds and 2.5 liters per ton of seeds) were tested in seed treatment before planting. The experiment was laid on May 16, 2021. Planting was square-nested 80 X X80 cm, 2 plants were planted in the nest. During the growing season, 2 loosening was done and 4 waterings were given (16/05, 15/06, 30/06, 7/07, 500 m ³per hectare for each irrigation. Yield data for this experience are given in table. 7.

Table 7

Effect of different doses of Amino Energy Agro.Bio

for the tomato crop (according to experience in 2021)

From Table. 9 it can be seen that 1.3 liters per ton of Amino Energy Agro.Bio seeds when applied locally gave a yield increase of 32%, while 2.5 liters per ton of Amino Energy Agro.Bio seeds under the same conditions gave almost the same increase. It follows that increasing the dose of Amino Energy Agro.Bio is not rational. It should be emphasized that in this experiment a fairly solid absolute increase in tomato yield of 15 t/ha was obtained , with a yield of 46 t/ha on the control plot.

In the second experiment, where the effectiveness of Amino Energy Agro.Bio top dressing of tomatoes was studied, the seedlings were planted in the ground on May 10, 2020. During the whole summer, 7 irrigations of 500 m ^{3 of} water per hectare were made on this site for each irrigation and 6 loosening. Amino Energy Agro.Bio top dressing was given on June 16, when ovaries began to form on the plants.

The results of this experience are presented in table. eight.

Table 8

Effect of microfertilizer Amino Energy  Agro.Bio  on tomato crop

(according to experience in the Kherson region 2020)

The given data show that Amino Energy Agro.Bio applied as a foliar treatment, although it gives an effect, it is less profitable to use it in such quantities than smaller dosages (2 l / ha) and landing treatment.

Cucumbers, zucchini, blue eggplant

Experiments with these crops had two goals: to find out if they would respond to Amino Energy Agro.Bio , and to compare the effect of this product with the generally accepted norms of humus when applied locally. All experiments were laid in the south of Ukraine.

Cucumbers were sown on May 5, 2021 with a feeding area of 120X70 cm , 4 plants per nest. Their care was as follows: mechanized loosening in 2 directions was done on May 12, 18, June 6, 21 and July 8, manual - on 18/05, 13/06, watering on 29/06, 11/07, 17/ 07, 25/07, 5/08, 9/08, 14/08, 20/08, 1/09 at the rate of 500 m3 ^of water per hectare for each irrigation. The results of the experiment, which are given in table. 9 show that the application of Amino Energy Agro.Bio dramatically increases the yield of cucumbers and accelerates the return of production. The efficiency of 2 l/ha of Amino Energy Agro.Bio in this experiment was approximately equal to the effect of 6 tons of humus.

Table 9

Influenced by Amino  Energy  Agro  . Bio  and humus for cucumber harvest 

(based on experience in the Kherson region, 2021)

Zucchini were sown on May 6 with a feeding area of 100 X 100 cm. During the summer, 2 mechanized loosenings were done - 25/05 and 24/06, two manual loosenings on 6/06 and 2/06 and 6 irrigations were given (23/06, 11/07 , 17/07, 25/07, 5/08 and 9/08) 500 m ^{3 of} water per hectare for one irrigation.

Yield data for this experience are given in table. ten.

Table 10

The impact of Amino Energy Agro.Bio and humus  on the crop of zucchini

(Based on experience in southern Ukraine, 2021)

The data show that the increase in squash yield was significant at an application of 2 l /ha. Amino Energy Agro.Bio and was equal to an increase from 5 tons of humus, also applied locally.

Blue eggplants in 2020 were planted in the ground on 25/05 with a feeding area of 80X80 cm , two plants per nest. In the budding phase on 20/06, Amino Energy Agro.Bio was treated at a rate of 3l /ha. During the growing season of eggplant, 12 irrigations were carried out at the rate of 500 m ^{3 of} water per hectare in each irrigation, 6 mechanized and 5 manual loosening.

The results of this experiment, shown in Table 11, show that the feeding of Amino Energy Agro.Bio also increased the yield by 28% and contributed to an increase in fruit weight.

Table 11

Influence of Amino Energy Agro.Bio fertilizing on blue eggplant yield

(according to experience in the Kherson region in 2020)

In 2021, blue eggplants were planted in the ground on May 25 with a feeding area of 70 X 70 cm , 2 plants per nest. Treatment with Amino Energy Agro.Bio before planting seedlings at the rate of 1.5 l / t. The maintenance of this experience was as follows: 6/06, 27/06, 14/07, 20/07 did mechanized loosening, and on 31/05 and 22/06 manual loosening. Irrigation, at the same rate as before, was carried out on 17/05, 25/05, 11/506, 23/06, 30/06, 7/07 and 15/07, 1/08 and 25/08.

The results of the harvest are shown in table. 12.

Table 12

Effect of seed treatment with Amino Energy Agro.Bio on blue eggplant yield

(based on experience in Kherson region 2021)

As you can see, the eggplant harvest this year was not high enough, and Amino Energy Agro.Bio gave an increase of only 69 c/ha, which is 24%. This must be connected with the meteorological conditions of the year. Eggplant is a heat-loving crop, and when they were planted in the ground in cold weather, the plants took root very slowly.

It is interesting to point out that the increase in yield by 24% in this experiment was obtained mainly due to the last collections in the period from September 15 to October 20, when warm autumn came.

Given all this, we tend to classify blue eggplant as a crop that responds well to Amino Energy Agro.Bio in hot summers and poorly in cold ones. However, this conclusion needs to be rechecked.

Impact of Amino Energy Agro.Bio on potato and cabbage crops

Amino Energy Agro.Bio can be easily used in irrigated conditions, as it is applied together with irrigation water. In addition, it seems possible to treat planting material with this preparation in order to stimulate the germination of potatoes.

Experiments with the introduction of Amino Energy Agro.Bio were carried out on sandy and chestnut soils.

The experiment on chestnut soil was carried out in 2019 in the control field No. 1 in the Kherson region. Potatoes were sown on 13/05 against a fertilized background (N ₄₅ P ₆₀ K ₆₀ ). Processing of potato tubers with Amino Energy Agro.Bio preparation was carried out at the rate of 1.5 l/t in one variant, in the other - in the budding phase at the rate of 2 l/ha of the preparation. Control plants were irrigated with the same amount of water at the same time.

The results of the experiment are given in table. 13.

Table 13

The impact of Amino Energy Agro.Bio on the potato crop ( according to the experience of 2019)

The table shows that the application of Amino Energy Agro.Bio in a very limited amount at the time of planting of the tubers, although it did not significantly increase the yield, but significantly accelerated the emergence of seedlings. This can be of great importance for the conditions of the south, as it makes it possible to accelerate the formation of potato tubers before the onset of high temperatures and, consequently, improve the conditions for tuberization. The influence of Amino Energy Agro.Bio in the budding phase, which usually coincides with the beginning of tuber formation, was more effective. There is reason to believe that the introduction of Amino Energy Agro.Bio in two, or maybe three deadline will be even more efficient. Probably, such terms will be the moment of tuber planting, the beginning of budding and the height of tuber formation. It should also be pointed out that the treatment with the drug had a very strong effect on the color and shape of the leaves. They were much more intensely colored, and the leaf blade was larger.

The second experiment with the introduction of Amino Energy Agro.Bio was carried out on the soils of the south of Ukraine in 2020. In this experiment, Amino Energy Agro.Bio was applied twice: when planting tubers and at the time of mass flowering. Irrigation was carried out along the furrows at the rate of 350 m ³ ha of water with Amino Energy Agro.Bio 2l/ha. In addition, 4 more waterings were given during the growing season. The control plot received 6 irrigations with water. Landing 14/07 2019, cleaning 20/10 2019

The results of this experience are given in table. fourteen.

Table 14

Impact of Amino Energy Agro.Bio  on the potato crop

(Based on 2019 experience)

Experimental data show that Amino Energy Agro.Bio irrigation is advisable to apply on sandy soils in conjunction with top dressing with mineral fertilizer.

The effectiveness of Amino Energy Agro.Bio for cabbage was studied in the experiment of 2018 on the control field No. 2 on sandy soils.

In this experiment, 3 irrigations were given for the growing season, of which 2 were given 2l/ha with Amino Energy Agro.Bio 2l/ha . The control plots were watered at this time. The main fertilizer - 20 tons of humus - was applied under the predecessor - tomatoes.

The results of this experiment are shown in the following table.

Table 15

Impact of Amino Energy Agro.Bio  on the cabbage crop

(based on field experience on sandy soils in 2018)

Table 15 shows that Amino Energy Agro.Bio irrigations were effective on sandy soils and on cabbages. They not only increased the yield, but, most importantly, accelerated the ripening of cabbage. It should be noted that the effectiveness of Amino Energy Agro.Bio on sandy soils was higher than on chestnut soils. This, apparently, can be explained by the fact that sands are poorer in organic matter, and also by the fact that Amino Energy Agro.Bio on sands is probably less bound by di- and trivalent metals and, therefore, does not lose its physiological activity for a longer time.

CONCLUSIONS

• Tested Amino Energy Agro.Bio in liquid form give a high increase in the yield of potatoes and vegetables in the south of Ukraine.
• 1 liter of Amino Energy Agro.Bio is approximately equivalent in its effectiveness to 6-8 tons of humus or 10 tons of peat mixed with mineral fertilizers when applied locally.
• The highest yield of potatoes can be achieved by using the Amino Energy Agro.Bio treatment in combination with a mineral fertilizer system.
• Amino Energy Agro.Bio must be used for vegetative irrigation. The effectiveness of these techniques increases against a background fertilized with mineral fertilizers.
• The study of the optimal conditions for the application of Amino Energy Agro.Bio should be continued.