Yield and Nutritional Composition of Forage Maize (Zea mays L.) Fertilized with Solarized Biosolids

Abstract

In Mexico, forage maize is crucial for cattle feed; however, its cultivation relies on synthetic fertilizers that can contaminate water, soil, and the environment, creating a need to adopt organic production models. The objective was to evaluate the growth, yield, and nutritional composition of forage maize fertilized with biosolids. An experiment was conducted in Gómez Palacio, Durango, Mexico, between March and June 2020, in a semi-arid climate and on soil with a clay–loam texture. A randomized complete block design with five treatments and three repetitions was used: three with biosolids [B240 (12 t ha−1), B200 (10 t ha−1) and B160 (8 t ha−1)], one chemically fertilized (CFT, 180-90-00 NPK) and one control (CT). The variables of growth (plant height), yield (corn cob diameter, fresh weight of corn cob, fresh plant weight), and nutritional composition (nitrogen content, crude protein) responded differently to the biosolids (LSD test, 0.05). Treatment B240 stood out in terms of plant height and number of leaves, showing higher fresh and dry forage yields; however, treatments B160 and CFT improved nutritional composition by exhibiting low acid detergent fiber content and high levels of neutral detergent fiber, nitrogen, and crude protein. Biosolid fertilization represents a sustainable alternative for forage maize cultivation.