Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Maydica, cilt.65, sa.1, 2020 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Organic cultivation of field crops became popular in the last decades due to public awareness about the effects of residual chemicals used in conventional farming systems on human health. Thus, we aimed to compare yield and plant nutritional status of conventionally and organically grown sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata L., Jubilee F1 cultivar) under Isparta, Turkey, ecological conditions. The effects of organic fertilization with leonardite (L) at 3 Mg ha-1, farmyard manure (FYM) at 30 Mg ha-1 and L + FYM application were compared with the conventional cultivation (CC). Two year field experiments in completely randomized block design in triplicates were set up in 2012 and 2013 growing seasons. Fresh kernel samples were taken at milky maturing stage to reveal nutritional status of sweet corn. The yield and yield components obtained for conventionally cultivated corn were significantly higher than the organically cultivated ones. As the yield and yield components considered, L+FYM treatment was the best performing of the organic treatments and it was comparable to CC for some traits. Nitrogen deficiency was the critical problem of the organic treatments whereas there were also milder deficiencies of other nutrient elements. It can be concluded that despite smaller amounts of yield, the organic farming may be considered for the healthier sweet corn.