Impacts of high intensity crop rotation and N management on oilseed rape productivity in Germany

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannes Hegewald ◽  
Barbara Koblenz ◽  
Monika Wensch-Dorendorf ◽  
Olaf Christen

A rotational field experiment was established in the year 2002 at the experimental farm Etzdorf in the Hercynian dry region of central Germany. Since 2005 field measured datasets were used to determine the effect of different preceding crop combinations and different nitrogen (N) fertilisation treatments on the seed yield, oil content, oil yield and N-use efficiency of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.). The preceding crop combinations compared were winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-winter wheat (WW), WW-oilseed rape (OSR), OSR-OSR and an OSR monoculture. In addition to the preceding crop combination, N fertiliser treatments with either 120 kg N ha–1 or 180 kg N ha–1 were established in the year 2013. Overall the results demonstrated that seed yield, oil yield and N-use efficiency all declined with an increased cropping intensity for the period 2005–2012. Higher N rates in the 2013–2014 seasons increased seed yield and oil yield when OSR followed WW-WW pre-crops. OSR monoculture had lowest yield independent of applied N. Seed yield declined from 4.61 t ha–1 (OSR following WW-WW) to 4.28 t ha–1 in the OSR monoculture with 120 kg N ha–1, and from 4.81 t ha–1 (following WW-WW) to 4.42 t ha–1 in the OSR monoculture with 180 kg N ha–1. Higher N rates generally reduced N-use efficiency, with highest N-efficiency for WW-WW-OSR (38.4 kg kg–1), and lowest for continuous OSR receiving 180 kg N ha–1 (24.5 kg kg–1). These results emphasise the importance of crop rotation to maintain seed yield and oil yield of oilseed rape, and to maximise the response to applied N. A reduced N rate increased N-use efficiency and reduced the risk of high N surpluses without a significant/equivalent decrease of the seed yield when the rotation was optimised.

2013 ◽  
Vol 93 (6) ◽  
pp. 1073-1081 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. N. Johnson ◽  
S. S. Malhi ◽  
L. M. Hall ◽  
S. Phelps

Johnson, E. N., Malhi, S. S., Hall, L. M. and Phelps, S. 2013. Effects of nitrogen fertilizer application on seed yield, N uptake, N use efficiency, and seed quality of Brassica carinata . Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 1073–1081. Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun) is a relatively new crop in western Canada and research information on its response to N fertilizer is lacking. Two field experiments (exp. 1 at 3 site-years and exp. 2 at 4 site-years) were conducted from 2008 to 2010 in Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada, to determine effect of N fertilizer application on Brassica carinata plant density, seed and straw yield, N uptake in seed and straw, N use efficiency (NUE), N fertilizer use efficiency (NFUE) and seed quality. N rates applied were 0 to 160 kg N ha−1 and 0 to 200 kg N ha−1 in exps. 1 and 2, respectively. Plant density was not affected by increasing N rate at 5 site-years but declined with high rates of N application at 2 site-years. Seed yield responded to applied N in 6 of 7 site-years, with the non-responsive site having a high total N uptake at the 0 kg N ha−1 rate (high Nt value). There were no sites where seed yields were maximized with the N rates applied. Response trends of straw yield and N uptake were similar to that of seed yield at the corresponding site-years. NUE and NFUE generally declined as N rate increased. Protein concentration in seed generally increased and oil concentration in seed decreased with increasing N rates. In conclusion, the responses of seed yield, total N uptake, NUE, and NFUE to applied N was similar to those reported in other Brassica species with the exception that a rate was not identified in which Brassica carinata yields were maximized.


1998 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. SIELING ◽  
H. SCHRÖDER ◽  
H. HANUS

In NW Europe, autumn-grown oilseed rape normally receives nitrogen (N) in autumn as seedbed N and in the spring as a split application at the beginning of growth and at stem elongation. In the growing seasons 1990/91 to 1992/93, the effects of slurry and mineral N fertilization on yield, N uptake by the seed and apparent N-use efficiency (NUE) by oilseed rape (Brassica napus) were investigated in a factorial field experiment at Hohenschulen Experimental Station near Kiel, NW Germany. The crop rotation was oilseed rape–winter wheat–winter barley, and soil tillage (conservation tillage without ploughing, conventional tillage), application of pig slurry (none, autumn, spring, autumn+spring) and mineral N fertilization (0 to 200 kg N ha−1) were all varied. Each year, the treatments were applied to all three crops of the rotation and were located on the same plots.Between the years, average seed yield ranged from 3·04 to 3·78 t ha−1, while the corresponding N uptake by the seed varied from 107 to 131 kg N ha−1. Slurry application in spring increased the seed yield and N uptake by the seed in all years, whereas the effect of autumn slurry alone or in combination with spring slurry was negligible. Mineral N fertilizer increased seed yield and N uptake by the seeds except in 1991/92, when N amounts exceeded 160 kg N ha−1. No significant slurry×mineral N interaction occurred. Apparent NUE of mineral N was larger than that of slurry N, but decreased with increasing mineral fertilizer N rates. Only 5% of the autumn slurry N was apparently utilized by the seeds, compared with 24% of the spring slurry N.Despite its ability to take up substantial quantities of N before the winter, oilseed rape utilized very little autumn slurry N for seed production. To minimize environmental impacts, slurry should be applied in the spring, when plants are more able to use N for yield formation, even if NUE of slurry N is lower than that of mineral N. However, since NUE changes with the amount of applied N, it is difficult to find the best combination of slurry and mineral N fertilization to avoid negative environmental effects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2349
Author(s):  
Jingchun Ji ◽  
Jianli Liu ◽  
Jingjing Chen ◽  
Yujie Niu ◽  
Kefan Xuan ◽  
...  

Topdressing accounts for approximately 40% of the total nitrogen (N) application of winter wheat on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain in China. However, N use efficiency of topdressing is low due to the inadaptable topdressing method used by local farmers. To improve the N use efficiency of winter wheat, an optimization method for topdressing (THP) is proposed that uses unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based remote sensing to accurately acquire the growth status and an improved model for growth potential estimation and optimization of N fertilizer amount for topdressing (NFT). The method was validated and compared with three other methods by a field experiment: the conventional local farmer’s method (TLF), a nitrogen fertilization optimization algorithm (NFOA) proposed by Raun and Lukina (TRL) and a simplification introduced by Li and Zhang (TLZ). It shows that when insufficient basal fertilizer was provided, the proposed method provided as much NFT as the TLF method, i.e., 25.05% or 11.88% more than the TRL and TLZ methods and increased the yields by 4.62% or 2.27%, respectively; and when sufficient basal fertilizer was provided, the THP method followed the TRL and TLZ methods to reduce NFT but maintained as much yield as the TLF method with a decrease of NFT by 4.20%. The results prove that THP could enhance crop production under insufficient N preceding conditions by prescribing more fertilizer and increase nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by lowering the fertilizer amount when enough basal fertilizer is provided.


2009 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
LIMEI ZHAO ◽  
LIANGHUAN WU ◽  
YONGSHAN LI ◽  
XINGHUA LU ◽  
DEFENG ZHU ◽  
...  

SUMMARYField experiments were conducted in 2005 and 2006 to investigate the impacts of alternative rice cultivation systems on grain yield, water productivity, N uptake and N use efficiency (ANUE, agronomic N use efficiency; PFP, partial factor productivity of applied N). The trials compared the practices used with the system of rice intensification (SRI) and traditional flooding (TF). The effects of different N application rates (0, 80, 160 and 240 kg ha−1) and of N rates interacting with the cultivation system were also evaluated. Resulting grain yields with SRI ranged from 5.6 to 7.3 t ha−1, and from 4.1 to 6.4 t ha−1 under TF management. On average, grain yields under SRI were 21% higher in 2005 and 22% higher in 2006 than with TF. Compared with TF, SRI plots had higher harvest index across four fertilizer N rates in both years. However, there was no significance difference in above-ground biomass between two cultivation systems in either year. ANUE was increased significantly under SRI at 80 kg N ha−1 compared with TF, while at higher N application rates, ANUE with SRI was significantly lower than TF. Compared with TF, PFP under SRI was higher across all four N rates in both years, although the difference at 240 kg N ha−1 was not significant. As N rate increased, the ANUE and PFP under both SRI and TF significantly decreased. Reduction in irrigation water use with SRI was 40% in 2005 and 47% in 2006, and water use efficiency, both total and from irrigation, were significantly increased compared to TF. With both SRI and TF, the highest N application was associated with decreases in grain yield, N use efficiency and water use efficiency. This is an important finding given current debates whether N application rates in China are above the optimum, especially considering consequences for soil and water resources. Cultivation system, N rates and their interactions all produced significant differences in this study. Results confirmed that optimizing fertilizer N application rates under SRI is important to increase yield, N use efficiency and water use efficiency.


2001 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 757-764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luís Sangoi ◽  
Márcio Ender ◽  
Altamir Frederico Guidolin ◽  
Milton Luiz de Almeida ◽  
Valmor Antônio Konflanz

Genetic selection of maize hybrids is often conducted using high N rates during the breeding cycle. This procedure may either lead to the release of genotypes that present nitrogen luxury consumption or require a stronger N input to accomplish their yield potential. This work was carried out to evaluate the effects of N rates on grain yield and N use efficiency of hybrids cultivated in different decades in Southern Brazil. The trial was performed in Lages, Santa Catarina State. A split plot design was used. Hybrids Ag 12, Ag 28, Ag 303 and Ag 9012, released during the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's, respectively, were evaluated in the main plots. Nitrogen rates equivalent to 0, 50, 100 and 200 kg ha-1 were side-dressed in the split-plots when each hybrid had six fully expanded leaves. Modern-day hybrid Ag 9012 had higher grain yield than hybrids of earlier eras, regardless of N rates. Under high doses of N, the older hybrids Ag 12 and Ag 28 took up more N and presented higher values of shoot dry matter at flowering than Ag 9012. Nonetheless, they set less grains per ear which contributed to decrease their grain yield and N use efficiency.


HortScience ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 485-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Desire Djidonou ◽  
Xin Zhao ◽  
Eric H. Simonne ◽  
Karen E. Koch ◽  
John E. Erickson

In addition to managing soilborne diseases, grafting with vigorous rootstocks has been shown to improve yield in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production. However, the influence of different levels of nitrogen (N) and irrigation supplies on grafted tomato plants has not been fully examined in comparison with non-grafted plants, especially under field conditions. The objective of this two-year study was to determine the effects of different irrigation regimes and N rates on yield, irrigation water use efficiency (iWUE), and N use efficiency (NUE) of grafted tomato plants grown with drip irrigation in sandy soils of north Florida. The determinate tomato cultivar Florida 47 was grafted onto two interspecific hybrid rootstocks, ‘Beaufort’ and ‘Multifort’ (S. lycopersicum × S. habrochaites S. Knapp & D.M. Spooner). Non-grafted ‘Florida 47’ was used as a control. Plants were grown in a fumigated field under 12 combinations of two drip irrigation regimes (50% and 100% of commonly used irrigation regime) and six N rates (56, 112, 168, 224, 280, and 336 kg·ha−1). The field experiments were arranged in a split-plot design with four replications. The whole plots consisted of the irrigation regime and N rate combination treatments, whereas the subplots represented the two grafting treatments and the non-grafted plants. Self-grafted ‘Florida 47’ was also included in the 100% irrigation and 224 kg N/ha fertilization treatment as a control. In 2010, the 50% irrigation regime resulted in higher total and marketable yields than the 100% irrigation regime. Tomato yield was significantly influenced by N rates, but similar yields were achieved at 168 kg·ha−1 and above. Plants grafted onto ‘Beaufort’ and ‘Multifort’ showed an average increase of 27% and 30% in total and marketable fruit yields, respectively, relative to non-grafted plants. In 2011, fruit yields were affected by a significant irrigation by N rate interaction. Grafting significantly increased tomato yields, whereas grafted plants showed greater potential for yield improvement with increasing N rates compared with non-grafted plants. Self-grafting did not affect tomato yields. More fruit per plant and higher average fruit weight as a result of grafting were observed in both years. Grafting with the two rootstocks significantly improved the irrigation water and N use efficiency in tomato production. Results from this study suggested the need for developing irrigation and N fertilization recommendations for grafted tomato production in sandy soils.


2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Sangakkara ◽  
P. Stamp

Green manuring is considered an important agronomic practice for smallholder farming systems in the tropics. Different species of legumes and non-legumes are applied either as ex situ or in situ green manures. Thus a field study conducted under rainfed conditions in Sri Lanka compared the effect of in situ and ex situ green manuring using two popular green manures ( Crotolaria juncea — a legume and Tithonia diversifolia — a non-legume) on the growth, seed yield and N use pattern of maize ( Zea mays ), the most popular upland cereal in the Asian tropics, grown with high and low N rates, in the two seasons that correspond to the monsoonal rains. In situ green manuring, especially with crotolaria, increased the growth, seed yield and N use efficiency of maize when compared to the ex situ addition of similar quantities of the green manure. The impact was also greater in the minor season, when the crop was subjected to moisture stress conditions. The benefits of in situ green manuring with tithonia were lower than those due to crotolaria. In situ green manuring with tithonia also led to a greater increase in growth, seed yield and N use efficiency in maize compared to ex situ green manuring with this species. The green manures, especially in situ application, also increased the benefits of enhanced rates of N fertilizer to the crops in both seasons, with greater use efficiency in the major season. The study showed the benefits of green manuring (both in and ex situ ) for obtaining higher yields of maize in the growing seasons of the Asian tropics, especially the in situ application of legume species.


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