Plant growth-promoting bacteria associated with nitrogen fertilization in sweet corn production

Abstract

The cultivation of sweet corn has a high demand for nitrogen, and because it is a crop with great expansion potential, studies are needed that demonstrate efficient management of nitrogen fertilization to increase productivity, such as the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria capable of fixing nitrogen atmospheric, exonerating the production process. This work aimed to evaluate the influence of growth promoting bacteria on plants (BPCP) native to the Sertão of Alagoas combined with nitrogen fertilization under components of sweet corn production. The statistical design used was in randomized blocks, and the treatments were BPCP and combined with nitrogen (N). The inoculation solution consisted of bacteria belonging to the genera Pseudomonas (SHS₂, SHS₃, SHS₉), Bacillus (AD₄₇) and Enterobacter (AD₃). Thus, the treatments were obtained: T₁ = 50% N + SHS₂, T₂ = 50% N + SHS₃, T₃ = 50% N + SHS₉, T₄ = 50% N + AD₄₇, T₅ = 50% N + AD₃, T₆ = control, T₇ = 100% N, T₈ = 50% N. The source of N used was urea. The production components evaluated were: plant height, stem diameter, ear insertion height, luminosity index, weight, diameter, length with and without straw, ear stalk, number of grains in the ear, number of grains per row, straw yield, straw weight, loss per crop, grain weight per ear and grain yield. In general, nitrogen fertilization with 50% of the recommended dose in association with BPCP proved to be viable, mineral urea. All treatments with nitrogen in coverage exceeded the control.