Effect of earthworm humus leachate levels at different planting densities on hydroponic green forage of Cuban maize

Abstract

The research was carried out in the municipality of Laja, where the following objectives were set: a) to determine the green and dry matter yield and b) to evaluate the best level of earthworm leachate with different corn planting densities. The leachate was placed in a container with water for 72 hours, 1 kg was used in 2 L of water, where tea was prepared at 20, 40, 60 and 0 % (control). DBCA with bifactorial arrangement was used to evaluate four levels of tea with three planting densities in the production of maize FVH. According to the results and conclusions, for plant height, with a sowing density of 4 kg/m2an average height of 21.29 cm was obtained, with a density of 3 kg/m2, the height registered 19.68 cm, also the level of worm leachate (60 %) registered a greater plant height. In relation to root length, with sowing density of 3.5 kg/m2showed an average length of 8.74 cm and density 3 kg/m2an average of 7.76 cm. The maize FVH yield averages for the four leachate levels in the 40% and 20% treatments show the highest green matter yield with an average of 22.56 and 22.38 kg/m2respectively; the lowest yield was 60% with 20.76 kg/m2. The average dry matter yields for sowing density showed that the treatments with sowing densities of 4 and 3.5 kg/m2were significantly higher than thoseobtained by the treatments with a density of 3 kg/m2(control).