The effect of zinc addition in the production process of liquid organic fertilizer on the nutrient properties, p and zn uptakes, and yields of sweet corn
Fahrurrozi, F., Muktamar, Z., Widodo, W. and Sudjatmiko, S.
The effectiveness of liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) can be improved by
incorporating micronutrient zinc (Zn) in its production process in order to increase the
yields of organic vegetables such as sweet corn. This experiment was conducted to
determine the effect of Zn amendment on LOF nutrient quality, nutrient uptakes, and sweet
corn yields. Results indicated that Zn-enriched treatment during the production of LOF did
not significantly affect N, P, and K contents, but significantly affected pH. There were also
no significant effects on P and Zn contents in the leaves of sweet corn as well as those
uptakes by the plants. However, the P contents in the leaves at a day before harvesting were
significantly higher than 5 weeks after planting, while the Zn content showed a contrasting
result. Moreover, the use of Zn-enriched LOF did not significantly affect the weights of
husked and unhusked ears of sweet corn, but significantly decreased its sweetness. Future
research should focus on the use of lower concentrations of Zn.