SOIL ORGANIC CARBON DYNAMICS, GROWTH, AND YIELD OF SWEET CORN UNDER DIFFERENT RATES OF TRICHODERMA-ENRICHED SUGARCANE FILTER CAKE ON AN INCEPTISOL

This study aimed to determine the effect of applying Trichoderma sp.-enriched filter cake on the growth and yield of sweet corn, as well as soil organic-C content, in an Inceptisol soil. A Randomized Block Design with a single factor the dosage of Trichoderma sp.-enriched filter cake was employed, comprising four treatments and three replications. The treatments included a control without filter cake or Trichoderma (B0), and the application of filter cake at rates of 1.125 kg (B1), 2.25 kg (B2), and 3.375 kg per plot (B3), each enriched with 2 g of Trichoderma sp. The results indicated that the treatments significantly affected stem diameter, weight of husked cobs per plot, and soil organic-C content, but did not significantly affect cob weight per sample or weight of husked-free cobs per plot. Treatment B3 yielded a stem diameter of 20.36 mm, a husked cob weight of 6.31 kg per plot, and the highest soil organic-C content at 1.63%. Thus, B3 demonstrated the best response across several observed parameters. Increasing the filter cake dosage while maintaining a constant Trichoderma dosage has the potential to improve growth, yield, and soil organic-C content.