Availability of Nitrogen and Iron in blood meal amended soil and its effect on corn plant growth

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

N. Ghorbanzadeh ¹

Gh. Haghnia ²

A. Lakziyan ³

A. Fotovat ³

¹ Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

² Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

³ Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

https://doi.org/10.22067/jsw.v0i22.1015

Abstract

Abstract
Blood meal contains large amount of nitrogen and iron that can be supplied to plants instead of chemical fertilizers. Nitrogen is the most important nutrient for corn plant. The main objective of this study was to determine the capability of blood meal to release nitrogen and iron and its consequence effect on corn growth. An experiment under laboratory and greenhouse conditions was conducted in the form of a completely randomized design with 6 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments included 3 levels of blood meal (1.5, 3 and 6 ton/h), urea fertilizer (200 kg/h), Fe EDDHA (5 kg/h), and the control. The results of soil incubation demonstrated that release of iron from blood meal was similar to Fe EDDHA and the amount of iron reached to its highest level after 30 days of adding to the soil. Nitrogen was released from all levels of blood meal slower than urea, and the amount of inorganic nitrogen in blood meal was less than urea. The results of corn growth showed that the application of blood meal one month before planting could provide the needed nitrogen and iron and have a positive effect on its growth.

Key words: Blood meal, Nitrogen, Iron, Corn

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