Low Input Technology Options (LITO) increases productivity of OPV white corn

With low productivity and high production costs as major problems confronting corn farmers in Bukidnon [Philippines], Lapoot et al. conducted a study in 2002-2005 to showcase and assess the performance of two LITO in open pollinated variety (OPV) white corn production in terms of farm yield and income. It was conducted at the DA - Northern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center (DANOMIARC) in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. LITO 1 was a combination of three bags 16-20-0 (ammonium phosphate), one bag 0-0-60 (muriate of potash), two bags 46-0-0 (urea), and six bags of the organic fertilizer, Sagana 100. LITO 2 involved the use of the same amount of inorganic fertilizer in LITO 1 combined, this time, with 20 bags of chicken manure as organic fertilizer. Lapoot's group also evaluated the integration of Bio-N in the last 2 years of the project to further reduce production cost. Bio-N is a microbial-based fertilizer for rice and corn. It is mainly composed of microorganisms that can convert the Nitrogen (N) from the air to ammonia (NH3) and replace up to 75% of the total N requirement of corn. Findings of the study revealed the following: Both LITO 1 and 2 out yielded and gave higher benefits over farmers' practice although LITO 2 was better than LITO 1. LITO 2 had an average yield of 4.77 t/ha during the wet season and 4.56 t/ha during the dry season. On the other hand, LITO 1 had an average yield of 4.69 t/ha during the wet season and 4.14 t/ha during the dry season. Net benefits from LITO 2 during the wet season amounted to P31,990/ha and P43,320/ha during the dry season. For LITO 1, net benefits during the wet season were P31,550/ha and P37,020/ha during the dry season. During the wet season, the yields in both LITOs with Bio-N were comparable with the yields in both LITOs without Bio-N. However, both combination out yielded farmers' practice by about 1.5t/ha. This led the researchers to conclude that Bio-N can substitute as much as 33% of the inorganic N in the form of urea without much effect on yield. During the dry seasons, yields of both LITOs with Bio-N were higher than the yields of both LITOs without Bio-N. Since no organic fertilizer was applied, Lapoot's group concluded that the microbial activity brought about by the application of Bio-N provided better opportunity in securing more nutrients during the dry season. The Higher net benefit from using Bio-N during dry season further led the researchers to conclude that application of Bio-N in OPV white corn is an alternative strategy to decrease the cost of inputs thereby increasing the net benefit from OPV white corn production.