Efecto de 4 aminoácidos comerciales en la producción del maíz híbrido trueno.

Abstract

Hybrid corn "Trueno" is a crop of great importance in Ecuador, particularly in the province of El Oro, where its production faces various agronomic challenges. The use of biostimulants, such as commercial amino acids, has been proposed as a strategy to improve corn productivity without relying solely on chemical fertilizers. This study evaluated the effect of four commercial amino acids (ISABION, QUANTIS, LEVOAMIN, and BOMBARDIER) on the growth and yield of hybrid corn "Trueno" to determine their influence on key agronomic parameters. The research was conducted in La Primavera, Machala, El Oro province, using a completely randomized block design (CRBD) with five treatments (four amino acid applications and one control without application), each with four replications. Variables such as plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves per plant, number of ears per plant, ear weight, ear length and diameter, number of kernels per row, and total crop yield were measured. The results showed significant differences in several variables. In terms of growth, treatments with QUANTIS and LEVOAMIN had the highest plant heights, while ISABION and QUANTIS were most effective in increasing stem diameter. Regarding the number of leaves per plant, ISABION had the highest count, suggesting improved foliar development. For production-related parameters, the LEVOAMIN treatment stood out in the number of rows per ear and ear length, indicating a positive effect on plant structure. However, there were no significant differences in the number of ears per plant or ear weight, suggesting that amino acids did not directly impact these variables. Crop yield, measured in quintals per hectare (qq/ha), showed no significant differences between treatments, although BOMBARDIER achieved the highest value. On the other hand, grain weight at 14% moisture showed statistically significant differences, with QUANTIS and BOMBARDIER recording the best results. This indicates that while total yield was not significantly affected, grain quality may benefit from the application of these amino acids. It is concluded that the use of commercial amino acids can positively influence some parameters of hybrid corn "Trueno," particularly in vegetative development and grain quality. However, there was no significant impact on final crop yield.