Rotational Cropping Sequence Affects Nitrogen Fertilizer Requirements in Processing Pumpkins (Cucurbita moschata)

Field experiments were conducted over a 5-year period (1994-98) to determine the effect of various cropping systems (rotations) on fertilizer N requirements in processing pumpkins [Cucurbita moschata (Duchesne ex Lam.) Duchesne ex Poir.] on medium- to fine-textured soil. Treatments consisted of a factorial combination of five N fertilization rates (0, 56, 112, 168, 224 kg·ha-1 N) and four pumpkin cropping systems: 1) pumpkins following corn (Zea mays L.); 2) pumpkins following soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]; 3) pumpkins following 2-years corn; and 4) pumpkins following fallow ground. Cropping systems were chronologically and spatially arranged in two complete cycles, with pumpkin studies taking place in 1996 and 1998. Averaged over the two studies, the optimal N fertilization rate for highest total weight of ripe fruit following soybeans was estimated at 109 kg·ha-1 N, compared to 128 kg·ha-1 N following fallow ground, even though yields were similar, suggesting a soybean N-credit of 19 kg·ha-1 N. Concurrently, the N fertilizer rate for highest total ripe fruit weight following corn was estimated at 151 kg·ha-1 N, and 178 kg·ha-1 following 2-years corn, indicating a negative rotation effect on pumpkin N requirements of 23 and 50 kg·ha-1 N, respectively. Minimum N fertilizer requirements, the N fertilizer rate associated with a ripe fruit yield of 50 t·ha-1, were calculated at 45, 37, 69, and 47 kg·ha-1 N in the respective cropping systems. Negative effects from excessive N fertilization were greater in pumpkins following soybeans than in pumpkins following corn or 2-years corn, with reductions in total ripe fruit weight of 21%, 9%, and 3%, respectively, at the highest N rate. A critical level for preplant soil NO 3-N of 17.6 mg·kg-1 was identified above which there was little or no pumpkin yield response to N fertilization.

Download Full-text

No-tillage culture and nitrogen fertilizer management for burley tobacco production

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859616000733 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 155 (4) ◽

pp. 599-612 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

C. ZOU ◽

R. C. PEARCE ◽

J. H. GROVE ◽

M. S. COYNE

Keyword(s):

N Uptake ◽

N Fertilization ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

No Tillage ◽

Fertilizer Management ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Burley Tobacco ◽

Tobacco Production ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

SUMMARYFew studies have investigated nitrogen (N) fertilizer management in no-tillage (NT) tobacco (Nicotiana tobacumL.) production systems, even though N fertilization is known to influence tobacco cured leaf yield and quality. The present study evaluated how tillage practice and N fertilizer rate affected burley tobacco agronomic performance, plant available nitrogen (PAN) supply, and leaf chemical constituents. In 2012 and 2013, three N fertilizer rates (0, 140 and 280 kg N/ha) were introduced as split-plots within a long-term NT and conventional tillage (CT) (mouldboard plough) comparison study. Results (2007–2013) showed that the effect of tillage on tobacco yield depended on seasonal weather; NT tobacco appeared to have lower yield than CT tobacco in seasons with <450 mm growing season rainfall, but similar yields when rainfall was >500 mm. In 2012 (432 mm rainfall; 84% of the long-term seasonal mean), leaf SPAD reading, leaf nitrate concentration, total nitrogen concentration at the topping day (i.e. removal of flowers/buds at the tops of the plants) and cured leaf nicotine and alkaloid content suggested that N deficiency was more pronounced in NT than CT at the lowest N fertilizer rate. The PAN supply, as measured by a modifiedin situresin core method, was similar in 2012 between NT and CT, suggesting that plant factors may have had a role in N uptake efficiency. This scenario did not repeat in 2013 (706 mm rainfall; 137% of the long-term seasonal mean). Even though N fertilization rates were identical for both tillage practices in 2012 and 2013, PAN was lower, on average, in 2012. Because N uptake is largely the result of mass flow, the impact of reduced root density in NT tobacco would be expected to be more pronounced in a season such as 2012, when water was limited. Banding N close to the tobacco root system and/or side-dressing some portion of N may be recommended strategies to improve N use efficiency in NT burley tobacco production.

Download Full-text

Yield response of forage grasses to N fertilizer as related to spring soil nitrate sorbed on anionic exchange membranes

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/s99-048 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 80 (1) ◽

pp. 203-212 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

N. Ziadi ◽

R. R. Simard ◽

G. Allard ◽

G. Parent

Keyword(s):

N Uptake ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Forage Yield ◽

Yield Response ◽

Soil Nitrate ◽

Forage Grasses ◽

Fertilizer N ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Anionic Exchange ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

Soil N availability is an important factor in forage grass production. Maximising N fertilizer efficiency is essential to improve profitability and to reduce the environmental risk associated with residual excess soil N. The objectives of this study were (i): to determine the effects of N fertilizer on yield, N uptake and NO3–N concentration of forage grasses produced in Western Quebec; and (ii) to compare spring soil NO3−measured by anionic exchange membranes (NO3AEMs) and by water extraction (NO3w) as a criterion to predict fertilizer N requirements of forage grasses. The yield response of grasses, especially timothy (Phleum pratense L.), to different rates of NH4NO3 (0 to 240 kg N ha−1) on heavy clay soils (Humic Gleysols) was studied from 1994 to 1996 at four sites in the Abitibi-Temiscamingue area, Quebec (Canada). Nitrogen significantly (P < 0.001) increased forage yield, N uptake, and NO3–N concentration. The economically optimum N fertilizer rate (Nop) for forage yield varied from 25 to 240 kg N ha−1 depending on sites and years, and averaged 125 kg N ha−1. The Nop can be predicted more adequately by NO3AEMs (R2 = 0.45) than by NO3w (R2 = 0.09). Based only on the relationship between the relative yield and spring soil nitrate, NO3AEMs could be used as a criterion for fertilizer N recommendation of forage grasses in this cool continental climate. Key words: N fertilizer, nitrate, grass, economically optimum N fertilizer rate

Download Full-text

Leaf Tipburn in Cauliflower as Affected by Cultivar, Calcium Sprays, and Nitrogen Nutrition

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.25.6.660 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 25 (6) ◽

pp. 660-663 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Carl J. Rosen

Keyword(s):

Field Experiments ◽

Nitrogen Nutrition ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Physiological Age ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Basal Leaf ◽

Resistant Cultivars ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

Two separate field experiments were conducted to determine the influence of Ca sprays and N fertilizer rate on leaf tipburn incidence in `Snow Crown', `Self Blanche', and `Imperial 10-6' cauliflower. Incidence of leaf tipburn was highest in `Snow Crown' each year and varied with year in `Self Blanche' and `Imperial 10-6'. Delaying planting of `Snow Crown' by 3 weeks decreased tipburn incidence by 20% and decreased the number of tipburned leaves per tipburned plant by 60%. Sprays of CaCl2 or calcium chelate had no effect on cauliflower productivity, nutrition, or tipburn incidence. Increasing N fertilizer rate from 67 kg N/ha to 201 kg N/ha linearly increased yield without significantly affecting tipburn incidence. Concentrations of Ca in tips of nontipburned leaves were two to five times greater than those in tips of tipburned leaves of comparable physiological age. Basal leaf regions had similar Ca concentrations, regardless of tipburn status. Use of resistant cultivars appears to be the best method of reducing tipburn incidence in cauliflower.

Download Full-text

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

Download Full-text

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.

Download Full-text

Triticale out-performs wheat on range of UK soils with a similar nitrogen requirement

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859616000356 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 155 (2) ◽

pp. 261-281 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

S. E. ROQUES ◽

D. R. KINDRED ◽

S. CLARKE

Keyword(s):

Harvest Index ◽

Field Experiments ◽

N Uptake ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Yield Response ◽

Consistent Difference ◽

Total N ◽

The Mean ◽

The Uk ◽

N Rates

SUMMARYTriticale has a reputation for performing well on poor soils, under drought and with reduced inputs, but there has been little investigation of its performance on the better yielding soils dominated by wheat production. The present paper reports 16 field experiments comparing wheat and triticale yield responses to nitrogen (N) fertilizer on high-yielding soils in the UK in harvest years 2009–2014. Each experiment included at least two wheat and at least two triticale varieties, grown at five or six N fertilizer rates from 0 to at least 260 kg N/ha. Linear plus exponential curves were fitted to describe the yield response to N and to calculate economically optimal N rates. Normal type curves with depletion were used to describe protein responses to N. Whole crop samples from selected treatments were taken prior to harvest to measure crop biomass, harvest index, crop N content and yield components. At commercial N rates, mean triticale yield was higher than the mean wheat yield at 13 out of 16 sites; the mean yield advantage of triticale was 0·53 t/ha in the first cereal position and 1·26 t/ha in the second cereal position. Optimal N requirement varied with variety at ten of the 16 sites, but there was no consistent difference between the optimal N rates of wheat and triticale. Triticale grain had lower protein content and lower specific weight than wheat grain. Triticale typically showed higher biomass and straw yields, lower harvest index and higher total N uptake than wheat. Consequently, triticale had higher N uptake efficiency and higher N use efficiency. Based on this study, current N fertilizer recommendations for triticale in the UK are too low, as are national statistics and expectations of triticale yields. The implications of these findings for arable cropping and cereals markets in the UK and Northern Europe are discussed, and the changes which would need to occur to allow triticale to fulfil a role in achieving sustainable intensification are explored.

Download Full-text

SAP NITRATE TESTING FOR IMPROVED NITROGEN MANAGEMENT ON POTATOES

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.27.6.614b ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 27 (6) ◽

pp. 614b-614 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Maurice L. Vitosh ◽

George H. Silva ◽

Richard D. Leep ◽

David S. Douches

Keyword(s):

Rapid Determination ◽

Tuber Initiation ◽

Yield Response ◽

Nitrate Level ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

N Rates ◽

Petiole Sap ◽

Sap Test ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

A procedure for rapid determination of nitrate in the fresh petiole sap using an ion specific electrode was developed. A highly significant correlation (R2-0.92) was obtained between the nitrate measured by the sap test and the conventional oven-dried tissue method. The effects of five nitrogen(N) rates ranging from 0 to 268 kg ha-1, and five dates of sampling dates beginning at tuber initiation, on the sap nitrate concentration were investigated. The nitrate level increased in proportion to N fertilizer rate. The nitrate level was generally higher at tuber initiation and decreased as the season progressed. The rate of decrease was related to the N supply in the soil. At N rates of 0 and 67 Kg ha-1, the average weekly decrease in the nitrate level was greater than 100 ppm. Based on yield response, the nitrate levels were partitioned as deficient adequate and excessive, and a critical nutrient range was established. The sap test offers a tactical approach for corrective in-season fertilization and a means to increase the efficiency of both fertilizer and available soil N.

Download Full-text

Fertilization Rate and Growth of `Hamlin' Orange Trees Related to Preplant Leaf Nitrogen Levels in the Nursery

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.31.4.613e ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 613e-614

Author(s):

Laura Guazzelli ◽

Frederick S. Davies ◽

James J. Ferguson

Keyword(s):

N Fertilizer ◽

Soil Nitrate ◽

Growth Responses ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Trunk Diameter ◽

Nitrate N ◽

N Concentration ◽

Leaf N Concentration ◽

N Fertilizer Rate ◽

Leaf N

Our objectives were to determine if leaf N concentration in citrus nursery trees affected subsequent growth responses to fertilization for the first 2 years after planting and how N fertilizer rate affected soil nitrate-N concentration. `Hamlin' orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.] trees on `Swingle' citrumelo rootstock [C. paradisi Macf. × P. trifoliata (L.) Raf.] were purchased from commercial nurseries and grown in the greenhouse at differing N rates. Three to five months later trees were separated into three groups (low, medium, high) based on leaf N concentration and planted in the field in Oct. 1992 (Expt. 1) or Apr. 1993 (Expt. 2). Trees were fertilized with granular material (8N–2.6P–6.6K) with N at 0 to 0.34 kg/tree yearly. Soil nitrate-N levels were also determined in Expt. 2. Preplant leaf N concentration in the nursery varied from 1.4% to 4.1% but had no effect on trunk diameter, height, shoot growth, and number or dry weight in year 1 (Expt. 1) or years 1 and 2 (Expt. 2) in the field. Similarly, N fertilizer rate had no effect on growth during year 1 in the field. However, trunk diameter increased with increasing N rate in year 2 and reached a maximum with N at 0.17 kg/tree yearly. Shoot number during the second growth flush in year 2 was much lower for nonfertilized vs. fertilized trees. Leaf N concentrations increased during the season for trees with initially low levels even for trees receiving low fertilizer rates. Soil nitrate-N levels were highest at the 0.34-kg rate, and lowest at the 0.11-kg rate. Nitrate-N levels decreased rapidly in the root zone within 2 to 3 weeks of fertilizing.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of Poultry Litter and Organic Fertilizer Rate and Source for Production of Organic Short-day Onions

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech.20.2.304 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 304-307 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

George E. Boyhan ◽

Ray J. Hicks ◽

Reid L. Torrance ◽

Cliff M. Riner ◽

C. Randell Hill

Keyword(s):

Allium Cepa ◽

Organic Fertilizer ◽

Poultry Litter ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Linear Effect ◽

Short Day ◽

Application Rates ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

In a 3-year study of poultry litter applications on short-day onion (Allium cepa) production, where rates ranged from 0 to 10 tons/acre, there was an increasing linear effect on total onion yield. Jumbo (≥3 inches diameter) onion yield did not differ with increasing poultry application rates, while medium (≥2 and <3 inches diameter) yields decreased with increasing applications of poultry litter. In addition, organic-compliant fertilizers, 4N–0.9P–2.5K at 150 to 250 lb/acre nitrogen (N), as well as 13N–0P–0K at 150 lb/acre N and in combination with 9N–0P–7.5K totaling 150 lb/acre N were evaluated. Comparison of these commercial organic-compliant fertilizers indicated that there were no differences in total or jumbo yields, while medium yields generally decreased with increased N fertilizer rate.

Download Full-text