Objectives To clarify the effects of different organic fertilizers (sheep manure, chicken manure, and vermicompost) replacing chemical nitrogen fertilizer on the yield and quality of waxy maize, and to provide a theoretical basis for the synergistic improvement of yield and quality of waxy maize in eastern Hebei Province.

Method In field experiments conducted in 2021 and 2022, the waxy maize variety “Sidanuo 41” was used as the test material. A total nitrogen application rate of 180 kg/hm² was designed, with five treatments established: no nitrogen application (CK), 100% chemical fertilizer nitrogen (CF), 40% chemical fertilizer replaced with chicken manure (CM), vermicompost (VM), and sheep manure (SM), respectively. Sampling was collected at the jointing stage, big trumpet stage, flowering stage, and harvest stage to measure dry matter and nitrogen accumulation in various organs of wax maize. At the fresh ear harvest stage, ear yield, cooking quality, grain nutritional quality and texture characteristics were determined.

Results Compared to the CF treatment, the CM, VM, and SM treatments significantly boosted the plant dry matter and nitrogen accumulation in waxy maize at the harvesting period. On average over two years, these treatments increased the fresh ear yield by 14.07%, 23.54%, and 14.82%, respectively; notably, the VM treatment achieved a significantly higher fresh ear yield than both CM and SM. Compared to the NPK treatment, the VM and SM treatments resulted in longer and wider ears, as well as longer bald tip lengths. Relative to CF treatment, CM, VM, and SM enhanced the average N use efficiency by 12.14%, 15.46%, and 21.93%, increased the partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer by 20.18%, 19.57%, and 21.45%, and improved the nitrogen agronomic efficiency by 62.82%, 81.16%, and 74.93%, respectively. However, no significant differences in nitrogen efficiencies were observed among the three organic treatments. Notably, the three organic fertilizer treatments significantly enhanced the flavor, tenderness, and sweetness of the ears after cooking. The VM treatment yielded the highest cooking score of 90.7 and received a grade 1 quality evaluation, whereas CM and SM did not elevate the cooking quality to the same extent. Furthermore, the three organic treatments markedly increased the soluble sugar, total starch, and amylopectin content in the grains, along with improving grain chewability, compared to the NPK treatment, the VM treatment recorded significantly higher amylopectin content than the other treatments. The correlation analysis revealed that the total score for cooking and eating quality showed a significant positive correlation with glutinousness, tenderness; grain chewiness exhibited a significant positive correlation with glutinousness, flavor, tenderness, the total score for cooking and eating quality, grain amylose content, and amylopectin content.

Conclusion In the waxy maize production of the eastern Hebei region, replacing 40% of chemical fertilizer nitrogen with organic fertilizers such as chicken manure, earthworm castings, and sheep manure can significantly increase the fresh ears yie of waxy maize, enhance nitrogen recovery rate and nitrogen agronomic efficiency, improve the appearance quality of fresh ears, elevate the overall scores for grain flavor and eating quality, thereby achieving a coordinated improvement in both the yield and quality of fresh ears of waxy maize. Under the condition of a total nitrogen application rate of 180 kg/hm², replacing 40% of chemical fertilizer nitrogen with vermicompost demonstrated more pronounced effects in enhancing both the yield and flavor of waxy maize compared to chicken manure and sheep manure, making it a recommended option for the application and promotion of technologies aimed at improving quality and efficiency in waxy maize production in eastern Hebei.