Impact of EM and NPK on growth and quality of maize

Abstract

                A field experiment was conducted on a private farm in Tobruk during the 2025 season to study the effect of fertilization with effective microorganisms and NPK on the growth and quality of maize. The experiment consisted of seven treatments: control, 50 ml/L EM + 25% NPK, 100 ml/L EM + 25% NPK, 150 ml/L EM + 25% NPK, 200 EM ml/L + 25% NPK, 250 ml/L EM + % 25NPK, and 300 ml/L EM + 25% NPK, in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The results showed that the addition of effective microorganisms at a concentration of 300 ml/l + NPK %25 recorded the highest values for both vegetative traits (plant height, leaf area index, number of leaves/plant, total chlorophyll content), yield traits (cob length, number of ears/plant, cob weight, ear weight/plant, 100-seed weight, grain yield, biological yield), and chemical traits (percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, protein). This was followed by the concentration of 250 ml/l NPK %25 + EM, which recorded the highest values for vegetative traits (plant height, leaf area index, number of leaves/plant, total chlorophyll content). Yield traits (cob length, number of ears/plant, cob weight, number of ears/plant, 100-seed weight, grain yield, biological yield), chemical traits (percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, protein), compared to the control treatment which recorded the lowest values for vegetative traits (plant height, leaf area index, number of leaves/plant, total chlorophyll content), yield traits (cob length, number of ears/plant, cob weight, number of ears/plant, 100-seed weight, grain yield, biological yield), chemical traits (percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, protein), respectively. The main activity of effective microorganisms (EM) seems to be increasing the biodiversity of soil microbes, leading to increased crop productivity. Photosynthetic bacteria, which are the main components of EM, are said to work synergistically with other microorganisms to support the nutritional requirements of plants and reduce the occurrence of pathogenic microorganisms.