FORMATION OF MAIZE YIELD STRUCTURE UNDER COMBINED MINERAL AND BIOLOGICAL NUTRITION IN THE CENTRAL FOREST–STEPPE
Abstract
Purpose. To determine the effect of the combined application of mineral fertilizers and the biopreparation Blu N under different plant densities on the formation of yield structure elements and grain yield of maize under the conditions of the Central Forest–Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. The research was conducted during 2023–2025 at the «Lyubaretske» LLC (Kyiv region) on maize hybrid P9255 (FAO 330). The area of the research plot was 33 m²; the experiment was established with four replications and a sequential multi–tier arrangement of treatments. The experimental design included the application of different rates of mineral fertilizers (N60P45K45, N90P60K60, N120P90K90, N150P120K120) in combination with foliar application of the biopreparation based on the nitrogen–fixing bacterium Methylobacterium symbioticum at the 5–6 leaf stage under different plant densities (60, 70 and 80 thousand plants per hectare). Results. It was established that the integrated nutrition system had a positive effect on individual plant productivity indicators, including grain weight per ear, thousand kernel weight and overall grain yield. The highest grain weight per ear (188.6–190.8 g) and thousand kernel weight (347.5–351.0 g) were recorded at a plant density of 60 thousand plants per hectare under the application of mineral fertilizers at rates of N120P90K90 and N150P120K120 combined with nitrogen fixer, exceeding the unfertilized control by 9.8–11.3 %. An increase in plant density to 70 thousand plants per hectare ensured an optimal balance between plant number and individual productivity, resulting in the highest grain yield of 13.61 t/ha in the N150P120K120 variant. The combined use of mineral fertilizers with nitrogen fixer increased grain yield by 12.8–24.2 % compared to the corresponding control. Conclusions. The maximum average grain yield over the years of study (14.35 t/ha) was obtained in the variant with N150P120K120 + nitrogen fixer at this plant density. Overall, the integration of the biopreparation into the mineral nutrition system increased maize productivity by 5.4 % (0.74 t/ha) on average compared to similar treatments without nitrogen fixer application.
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