Efects of diferent organic materials on forage yield and quality of silage maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Tis study was conducted at the experimental area of the Field Crops Department of Çukurova University (37°01 ′N, 35°18 ′E)in the 2010 and 2011 growing seasons to determine the efects of sole or combined applications of 3 organic materials (poultry litter,cattle manure, and leonardite) with supplemental inorganic fertilizer on the forage yield and quality of silage maize. Te feld trial wasarranged in a complete randomized block design with 3 replications. Poultry litter (PL) and cattle manure (CM) were applied based on Por N requirements (PL-P, PL-N, CM-P, and CM-N) of the crop, whereas leonardite was applied in only 1 dose (500 kg ha 1 ) and was alsocombined with 3 inorganic fertilizer doses (100%, 75%, and 50% of the recommended inorganic fertilizer dose, called LEO-100, LEO-75, and LEO-50, respectively). Te results show that the highest values of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) yields (18.3 t ha 1and 1652 kg ha 1, respectively) were observed in LEO-100, whereas the lowest (11.2 t ha 1 and 758 kg ha 1, respectively) were observedin PL-N. In terms of forage quality parameters (CP, acid detergent fber, neutral detergent fber, and relative feed value), the P-basedpoultry litter and cattle manure treatments (PL-P and CM-P) gave similar results to conventional fertilization treatment, whereas theN-based treatments (PL-N and CM-N) signifcantly decreased forage quality. Te combined use of organic materials with inorganicfertilizers instead of a conventional fertilization regime may be efective in maintaining forage supply but N-based treatments have therisk of restricting forage production from silage maize.