Foliar nutrient content and maize yield with vinasse application during three crops

Abstract

The objective with this study was to study the changes in foliar nutrient content and grain yield of maize crop with the application of vinasse doses during three crops. The study was developed under field conditions in the municipality of Alegre, ES, during 2013, 2014 and 2015. Each cultivar was set up following a scheme of subdivided plots in a randomized block design with six treatments and four replicates. The treatments were composed by mineral fertilization (NPK) and five vinasse dosages, corresponding to 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 m3 ha-1. In the leaf samples, the contents of N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, B, Cu, Fe and Zn were analyzed. In addition, the grain yield for each treatment was also evaluated. Based on the obtained results, the agricultural use of vinasse at doses higher than 50 m3 ha-1 promoted the leaf contents of N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg and B similar to the result attained by supplying mineral fertilization, in the three crops. Regarding grain yield, the best perfomances were obtained at the dosages corresponding to 150 m3 ha-1 for the years of 2013 and 2014 and 100 m3 ha-1 for the year of 2015, with a production higher than 12 t ha-1 in the three crops.