Biological Sweet Corn Trial
By: Ausmin Australia
Project Description
This was a trial comparing a biological program using biological fertilisers and inoculants (Ausmin’s BioBrew range, and a Platinum fertiliser) to a conventional program on an sweet corn crop in subtropical conditions. The key question was to look at whether bio-fertilisers can improve or maintain crop yields, plant vigour and enterprise gross margin. Parameters measured include cost of inputs, nutrient use efficiency, cob yield & quality and plant growth & health over one crop cycle. The effect of the addition of a silica mineral product, MaxSil® with good levels of soluble silicon was also investigated.
Materials and Methods
The trial design consisted of side by side comparative strips. There were two conventional strips and 1 strip each of the two Ausmin programs. Each strip consisted of at least 6 planted rows of corn approximately 400m long. C1 was rows 1-24. A1 was rows 25-30. A2 was rows 31-36. C2 was from row 37 onwards. The crop was planted on the 23/2/09 and it was harvested on the 3/6/09 at night.
The parameters measured in this trial included Soil chemistry, Yield (# cobs /plant, number of cobs per planted meter), Plant characteristics (Brix, height, root biomass), cob characteristics (number kernels, size, nutrient levels), Input cost /ha. The crop was monitored on a periodic basis from planting through to harvest.
Discussion and Results
The results of this trial indicate the potential that the enhancement of soil biological fertility through the use of biological fertilisers has for improving nutrient use efficiency and lowering production costs in intensive horticulture and field crop enterprises. In particular the improvement in potential for roots to take up nutrients and water due to a larger root biomass and associated rhizosphere was evident in the biological treatments. The comparison of programs in this trial showed an increase in yield and Gross Margin in the biological treatments over the conventional treatments with the treatment that included a silicon seed coating (MaxSil) showing the highest Gross Margin.