Efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer applied at corn sowing in contrasting growing seasons in Paraguay

In order to select soil management practices that increase the nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) in agro-ecosystems, the different indices of agronomic fertilizer efficiency must be evaluated under varied weather conditions. This study assessed the NUE indices in no-till corn in southern Paraguay. Nitrogen fertilizer rates from 0 to 180 kg ha-1 were applied in a single application at corn sowing and the crop response investigated in two growing seasons (2010 and 2011). The experimental design was a randomized block with three replications. Based on the data of grain yield, dry matter, and N uptake, the following fertilizer indices were assessed: agronomic N-use efficiency (ANE), apparent N recovery efficiency (NRE), N physiological efficiency (NPE), partial factor productivity (PFP), and partial nutrient balance (PNB). The weather conditions varied largely during the experimental period; the rainfall distribution was favorable for crop growth in the first season and unfavorable in the second. The PFP and ANE indices, as expected, decreased with increasing N fertilizer rates. A general analysis of the N fertilizer indices in the first season showed that the maximum rate (180 kg ha-1) obtained the highest corn yield and also optimized the efficiency of NPE, NRE and ANE. In the second season, under water stress, the most efficient N fertilizer rate (60 kg ha-1) was three times lower than in the first season, indicating a strong influence of weather conditions on NUE. Considering that weather instability is typical for southern Paraguay, anticipated full N fertilization at corn sowing is not recommended due the temporal variability of the optimum N fertilizer rate needed to achieve high ANE.

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Cultivar and N Fertilizer Rate Affect Yield and N use Efficiency in Irrigated Durum Wheat

Crop Science ◽

10.2135/cropsci2013.03.0159 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 54 (3) ◽

pp. 1175-1183 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Zhejun Liang ◽

Kevin F. Bronson ◽

Kelly R. Thorp ◽

Jarai Mon ◽

Mohammad Badaruddin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

N Use Efficiency ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

N Use ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

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Extreme Weather Events Affect Agronomic Practices and Their Environmental Impact in Maize Cultivation

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11167352 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (16) ◽

pp. 7352

Author(s):

Monika Marković ◽

Jasna Šoštarić ◽

Marko Josipović ◽

Atilgan Atilgan

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Nitrate Leaching ◽

Crop Production ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Soil N ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Agronomic Practices ◽

N Level ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

Sustainable and profitable crop production has become a challenge due to frequent weather extremes, where unstable crop yields are often followed by the negative impacts of agronomic practices on the environment, i.e., nitrate leaching in irrigated and nitrogen (N)-fertilized crop production. To study this issue, a three-year field study was conducted during quite different growing seasons in terms of weather conditions, i.e., extremely wet, extremely dry, and average years. Over three consecutive years, the irrigation and N fertilizers rates were tested for their effect on grain yield and composition, i.e., protein, starch, and oil content of the maize hybrids; soil N level (%); and nitrate leaching. The results showed that the impact of the tested factors and their significance was year- or weather-condition-dependent. The grain yield result stood out during the extremely wet year, where the irrigation rate reduced the grain yield by 7.6% due to the stress caused by the excessive amount of water. In the remainder of the study, the irrigation rate expectedly increased the grain yield by 13.9% (a2) and 20.8% (a3) in the extremely dry year and 22.7% (a2) and 39.5% (a3) during the average year. Regardless of the weather conditions, the N fertilizer rate increased the grain yield and protein content. The soil N level showed a typical pattern, where the maximum levels were at the beginning of the study period and were higher as the N fertilizer rate was increased. Significant variations in the soil N level were found between weather conditions (r = −0.719) and N fertilizer rate (r = 0.401). Nitrate leaching losses were expectedly found for irrigation and N fertilizer treatments with the highest rates (a3b3 = 79.8 mg NO3− L).

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Nitrogen management of fallow crops in Canadian prairie soils

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps2012-031 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 92 (7) ◽

pp. 1389-1401

Author(s):

R. E. Karamanos ◽

F. Selles ◽

D. C. James ◽

F. C. Stevenson

Keyword(s):

Water Use ◽

N Uptake ◽

Maximum Yield ◽

Nitrogen Management ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Canadian Prairie ◽

Prairie Soils ◽

Fertilizer Rates ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

Karamanos, R. E., Selles, F., James, D. C. and Stevenson, F. C. 2012. Nitrogen management of fallow crops in Canadian prairie soils. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1389–1401. The ability of fallow to supply nitrogen (N) to crops has been questioned, particularly for crops with greater N requirements. A study was conducted to determine canola (Brassica napus L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) responses to a range of N fertilizer rates (0–75 kg N ha−1 for canola and 0–50 kg N ha−1 for wheat) at 17 fallow sites across Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada, from 2003 to 2005. Yield and N uptake responses to progressively greater N fertilizer rates were curvilinear for both crops. Maximum yield occurred with 76 kg N ha−1 for canola yield (2190 kg ha−1) and 47 kg N ha−1 for wheat (2910 kg ha−1). Maximum N uptake occurred at about 90 kg N ha−1 for both crops. Wheat grain yield and N uptake responses were mostly associated with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) at anthesis or flag leaf, whereas canola yields and N uptake were most associated with NDVI at five-leaf or bolting, or Cardy Nitrate meter at bolting. The preceding relationships were most apparent at the highest N fertilizer rates. Canola and wheat water use were not affected by N fertilizer rate, but water use efficiency increased linearly for both crops as N fertilizer rate was increased.

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Utilizing hydrologic soil grouping to estimate corn nitrogen rate recommendations

10.32469/10355/74984 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

◽

G. Mac Bean

Keyword(s):

N Fertilizer ◽

Fertilizer Management ◽

Nitrogen Rate ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Corn Production ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Fertilizer Recommendations ◽

N Demand ◽

N Fertilizer Rate ◽

Model Approach

Nitrogen fertilizer recommendations in corn (Zea mays L.) that match crop N need are imperative to increasing profitability and preventing environmental contamination. However, processes influencing corn production (i.e. leaching and denitrification) are affected by soil and weather characteristics making it difficult to know when and how much N fertilizer to apply to match crop N need. In an effort to improve N fertilizer management, this dissertation explored the ability of soil, weather, and microbial respiration measurements to inform N rate recommendations based on hydrologic soil grouping (HG) and drainage classifications. Using 49 sites over three growing seasons (2014-2016), five HG-based groups were delineated. Following linear regression, soil and weather measurements were found related to the economical optimum N fertilizer rate (EONR) unique to each of the respective groups resulting in five separate N recommendation models. Furthermore, a total of 182 site-years of corn N response trial data were gathered across six U.S. Midwest Corn Belt states to validate these models. Two analyses were performed, one for comparing the HG-based model recommendations to EONR and another comparing HG-based model recommendations to state-specific corn N rate tools. Across all site-years and N timings the HG-based N recommendations were within 34 kg N ha-1 of EONR 38% of the time. State-specific N recommendation tools were within 34 kg N ha-1 of EONR 32% of the time. Over all site-years the HG-based models were more sensitive to site-specific crop N demand. In addition, when analyzed within each individual state, significant differences between approaches were observed. While showing some promise, these results suggest more research is required to determine the applicability of the HG-based model approach for corn N fertilizer management.

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Plant Population and Nitrogen Fertilization for Subsurface Drip-irrigated Onion

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.39.7.1722 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 39 (7) ◽

pp. 1722-1727 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Clinton C. Shock ◽

Erik B. G. Feibert ◽

Lamont D. Saunders

Keyword(s):

Soil Water Potential ◽

Plant Population ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Marketable Yield ◽

Higher Plant ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Plant Populations ◽

Subsurface Drip ◽

Fertilizer Rates ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

Onion (Allium cepa L.) production in the Treasure Valley of eastern Oregon and southwestern Idaho has been based on furrow irrigation with 318 kg·ha-1 N fertilizer and average yields of 70 Mg·ha-1, but these practices have been implicated in nitrate contamination of groundwater. Drip irrigation, introduced in the early 1990s, has several advantages, including reduced leaching losses. Since onion plant populations and N fertilizer rates can affect economic returns, studies were conducted in 1999, 2000, and 2001 to determine optimum plant populations and N fertilizer rates for subsurface drip-irrigated onion. Long-day onion (`Vision') was subjected to a combination of seven nitrogen fertilization rates (0 to 336 kg·ha-1 in 56-kg increments applied between late May and early July) and four plant populations (185, 250, 300, and 370 thousand plants/ha). Onion was grown on silt loam in two double rows spaced 0.56 m apart on 1.1 m beds with a drip tape buried 13 cm deep in the bed center. Soil water potential was maintained nearly constant at -20 kPa by automated irrigations based on soil water potential measurements at a 0.2-m depth. Onion bulbs were evaluated for yield and grade after 70 days of storage. Onion yield and grade were highly responsive to plant population. Onion marketable yield increased, and bulb diameter decreased with increasing plant population. Within the range of plant populations tested, gross returns were not always responsive to plant population. Returns were increased by the increase in marketable yield obtained with higher plant population, but higher plant population also reduced the production of the largest sized bulbs which had the highest value per weight. Onion yielded 95 Mg·ha-1 with no applied N fertilizer, averaged over plant populations and years. Onion yield and grade were not responsive to N fertilizer rate or interaction of N fertilizer rate with plant population. Preplant soil available N, N mineralization, and N in irrigation water all contributed N to the crop. Onion N uptake did not increase with increasing N fertilizer rate.

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Corralling, planting density, and N fertilizer rate effect on soil properties, weed diversity, and maize yield

Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems ◽

10.1080/21683565.2018.1516264 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 243-260

Author(s):

Nurudeen Abdul Rahman ◽

Asamoah Larbi ◽

Andrews Opoku ◽

Francis Marthy Tetteh ◽

Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Maize Yield ◽

Rate Effect ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Planting Density ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Weed Diversity ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

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Effect of Winter Cover Crops on Soil Nitrogen Availability, Corn Yield, and Nitrate Leaching

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1100/tsw.2001.267 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 22-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

S. Kuo ◽

B. Huang ◽

R. Bembenek

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

N Leaching ◽

Corn Yield ◽

N Availability ◽

Soil N ◽

Soil N Availability ◽

N Concentration ◽

Fertilizer Rates

Biculture of nonlegumes and legumes could serve as cover crops for increasing main crop yield, while reducing NO3leaching. This study, conducted from 1994 to 1999, determined the effect of monocultured cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), and bicultured rye/vetch and ryegrass/vetch on N availability in soil, corn (Zea mays L.) yield, and NO3-N leaching in a silt loam soil. The field had been in corn and cover crop rotation since 1987. In addition to the cover crop treatments, there were four N fertilizer rates (0, 67, 134, and 201 kg N ha-1, referred to as N0, N1, N2, and N3, respectively) applied to corn. The experiment was a randomized split-block design with three replications for each treatment. Lysimeters were installed in 1987 at 0.75 m below the soil surface for leachate collection for the N0, N2, and N3treatments. The result showed that vetch monoculture had the most influence on soil N availability and corn yield, followed by the bicultures. Rye or ryegrass monoculture had either no effect or an adverse effect on corn yield and soil N availability. Leachate NO3-N concentration was highest where vetch cover crop was planted regardless of N rates, which suggests that N mineralization of vetch N continued well into the fall and winter. Leachate NO3-N concentration increased with increasing N fertilizer rates and exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water standard of 10 mg N l�1 even at recommended N rate for corn in this region (coastal Pacific Northwest). In comparisons of the average NO3-N concentration during the period of high N leaching, monocultured rye and ryegrass or bicultured rye/vetch and ryegrass/vetch very effectively decreased N leaching in 1998 with dry fall weather. The amount of N available for leaching (determined based on the presidedress nitrate test, the amount of N fertilizer applied, and N uptake) correlated well with average NO3-N during the high N leaching period for vetch cover crop treatment and for the control without the cover crops. The correlation, however, failed for other cover crops largely because of variable effectiveness of the cover crops in reducing NO3leaching during the 5 years of this study. Further research is needed to determine if relay cover crops planted into standing summer crops is a more appropriate approach than fall seeding in this region to gain sufficient growth of the cover crop by fall. Testing with other main crops that have earlier harvest dates than corn is also needed to further validate the effectiveness of the bicultures to increase soil N availability while protecting the water quality.

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Growing Soybean Prior to Corn Increased Soil Nitrogen Supply and N Fertilizer Efficiency for Corn in Cold and Humid Conditions of Eastern Canada

Sustainable Agriculture Research ◽

10.5539/sar.v1n2p257 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 257

Author(s):

Adrien N. Dayegamiye ◽

Judith Nyiraneza ◽

Johann K. Whalen ◽

Michèle Grenier ◽

Anne Drapeau

Keyword(s):

N Uptake ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Crop Rotations ◽

Fertilizer Efficiency ◽

Corn Yield ◽

Soil N ◽

Eastern Canada ◽

Continuous Corn ◽

N Fertilizer Efficiency ◽

Corn Grain

Growing soybean (Glycine max L.) prior to corn (Zea mays L) can enhance corn grain and nitrogen (N) use efficiency compared to continuous corn. This two year study (2007-2008) was conducted at 62 sites in Quebec (Eastern Canada) to assess the effect of crop rotations [soybean-corn, soybean-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.,)-corn and corn-corn] on corn yield, N uptake, N fertilizer efficiency (NFE), and the economic optimum N rate (EONR). Plots within each crop rotation received N fertilizer rates from 0 to 250 kg N ha-1 to assess the N contribution from the preceding soybean crop. Corn grain yields ranged from 8.4 to 10.8 Mg ha-1 and were lower in continuous corn than in the crop rotations. Corn N uptake and NFE varied from 89 to 164 kg N ha-1 and from 45 to 80 kg grain per kg N fertilizer, respectively. A significant interaction of crop rotation and year on corn N uptake and NFE was obtained implying that annual variations influenced soil N supply. The EONR for corn was lower under crop rotations than continuous corn in 2008 only. No difference in corn yield, NFE and EONR was observed for soybean-corn and soybean-wheat-corn crop sequences. In conclusion, crop rotations including soybean increased soil N availability and reduced EONR from 32 to 45 kg ha-1 for corn grown in 2008.

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An integrative influence of saline water irrigation and fertilization on the structure of soil bacterial communities

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s002185962000012x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 157 (9-10) ◽

pp. 693-700

Author(s):

L. J. Chen ◽

C. S. Li ◽

Q. Feng ◽

Y. P. Wei ◽

Y. Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Irrigation Water ◽

Saline Water ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Water Salinity ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Irrigation Amount ◽

Soil Microbial ◽

Irrigation Water Salinity ◽

Soil Bacterial ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

AbstractAlthough numerous studies have investigated the individual effects of salinity, irrigation and fertilization on soil microbial communities, relatively less attention has been paid to their combined influences, especially using molecular techniques. Based on the field of orthogonal designed test and deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing technology, the effects of saline water irrigation amount, salinity level of irrigation water and nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate on soil bacterial community structure were investigated. The results showed that the irrigation amount was the most dominant factor in determining the bacterial richness and diversity, followed by the irrigation water salinity and N fertilizer rate. The values of Chao1 estimator, abundance-based coverage estimator and Shannon indices decreased with an increase in irrigation amount while increased and then decreased with an increase in irrigation water salinity and N fertilizer rate. The highest soil bacterial richness and diversity were obtained under the least irrigation amount (25 mm), medium irrigation water salinity (4.75 dS/m) and medium N fertilizer rate (350 kg/ha). However, different bacterial phyla were found to respond distinctively to these three factors: irrigation amount significantly affected the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi; irrigation water salinity mostly affected the members of Actinobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes and Acidobacteria; and N fertilizer rate mainly influenced the Bacteroidetes' abundance. The results presented here revealed that the assessment of soil microbial processes under combined irrigation and fertilization treatments needed to be more careful as more variable consequences would be established by comparing with the influences based on an individual factor, such as irrigation amount or N fertilizer rate.

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