Pig slurry as an alternative to mineral fertilizer in maize crop

Abstract

The use of swine residue (SR) as a source of nutrients in growing crops such as maize, may be an option for disposal of organic waste produced in large quantities in pig farms, allowing total or partial substitution of mineral fertilizer in agricultural crops. The objective of this study was to enable the use of SR as an alternative source of nutrients to the mineral fertilization in maize under conditions of a Rhodic Hapludox. The treatments consisted of the use of mineral fertilizer recommended for maize; no fertilization (control), and doses of SR (25, 50, 75, 100 m³ ha-1). The variables: length and ear diameter, number of grains per spike, thousand grain weight and yield. The highest grain yields were obtained with chemical fertilizers and doses of 50, 75 and 100 m³ ha-1 of SR. The mineral fertilization in maize can be replaced by doses of SR from 50 m³ ha-1, with no loss in productivity of maize in a Rhodic Hapludox with very clayey texture.