Abstract
Vermicompost tea is a liquid organic biofertilizer rich in nutrients, plant hormones, and beneficial microorganisms, offering a strategy to improve nutrient‐use efficiency and reduce crop reliance on mineral fertilizers. Maize requires substantial nitrogen inputs, which can increase production costs. Earthworm‐derived vermicompost may provide a sustainable alternative by boosting soil fertility and improving production efficiency. This study evaluated the metagenomic profile of vermicompost tea and the effects of different application doses of vermicompost tea and nitrogen fertilization on maize growth and yield. The experiment was conducted under a center‐pivot irrigation system in a randomized block design with a 4 × 3 factorial arrangement and five replications. Treatments included four vermicompost tea doses (0, 5,000, 10,000, and 20,000 L·ha
−1
) and three nitrogen doses (0%, 50%, and 100% of the recommended dose). Plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), shoot fresh mass (SFM), shoot dry mass (SDM), 100‐grain mass (100 GM), and grain yield (GY) were assessed. Metagenomic analysis revealed a diverse microbial community dominated by probiotic, plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria and biological control microorganisms. PH, SFM, and 100 GM reached maximum values at the application of 10,000 L·ha
−1
of vermicompost tea combined with 100% N dose. SD increased only in response to vermicompost tea (5000 and 10,000 L·ha
−1
). SDM reached its highest values with 50% N dose and 0 L·ha
−1
of vermicompost tea. GY was higher at 50% N dose and 10,000 L·ha
−1
of vermicompost tea. The vermicompost tea showed potential as a complementary technology to reduce nitrogen fertilizer use in maize production systems.