Effect of municipal solid waste compost and nitrogen fertilizer on grain yield, forage production and some morphological traits of sweet corn (zea mayz L. sacchrata)

In order to study the influence of municipal solid waste compost and nitrogen fertilizer on grain and forage yield of sweet corn an experiment was conducted at Marvdasht during 2009. The experiment was arranged in split plots based on randomized complete block design with two factors and three replications. Main plot included 5 levels of nitrogen fertilizer (100, 150, 200, 250, 300 Kg N ha^-1) and sub plots included 4 levels of municipal solid waste compost (10, 20, 30, 40 ton ha^-1). Results showed that nitrogen, compost and interactions between them had significant effect on fresh ear yield, grain yield, 1000 grain weight and fresh ear and grain harvest index. The highest fresh ear and grain yield, 1000 grain weight and fresh ear and grain harvest index equal 2387 and 1233 gr m^-2, 237 gr, 51.53 and 51.73 persent belong to application of 200 kg N ha^-1 and 40 ton ha^-1 compost respectively. Nitrogen had significant effect only on row number per ear, grain number per row and ear and ear number.m^-2. The highest fresh and dry forage yield equal 2356 and 584 gr m^-2 belonged to application of 300 kg N ha^-1 and equal 2298 and 618 gr m^-2 for 40 ton ha^-1 compost, respectively. Generally, it seems that using of 30 ton ha^-1 compost by 23.5% increase in 1000 grain weight lead to 30% increase in grain yield of sweet corn. Also, application of 200 Kg N ha^-1 (decline of chemical fertilizer) and 40 ton ha^-1 compost suggest for high sweet corn yield in the same environmental conditions.