scholarly journals Optimizing plant density and nitrogen application to manipulate tiller growth and increase grain yield and nitrogen-use efficiency in winter wheat

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongqing Yang ◽  
Tie Cai ◽  
Yongli Luo ◽  
Zhenlin Wang
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Nitrogen Use Efficiency ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Nitrogen Use ◽  
N Application ◽  
N Application Rate ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Plant Densities ◽  
Use Efficiency

The growth of wheat tillers and plant nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) will gradually deteriorate in response to high plant density and over-application of N. Therefore, in this study, a 2-year field study was conducted with three levels of plant densities (75 ×104plants ha−1, D1; 300 ×104plants ha−1, D2; 525 ×104plants ha−1, D3) and three levels of N application rates (120 kg N ha−1, N1; 240 kg N ha−1, N2; 360 kg N ha−1, N3) to determine how to optimize plant density and N application to regulate tiller growth and to assess the contribution of such measures to enhancing grain yield (GY) and NUE. The results indicated that an increase in plant density significantly increased the number of superior tillers and the number of spikes per m2(SN), resulting in a higher GY and higher partial factor productivity of applied N (PFPN). However, there was no significant difference in GY and PFPNbetween plant densities D2 and D3. Increasing the N application rate significantly increased the vascular bundle number (NVB) and area (AVB), however, excess N application (N3) did not significantly improve these parameters. N application significantly increased GY, whereas there was a significant decrease in PFPNin response to an increase in N application rate. The two years results suggested that increasing the plant density (from 75 ×104plants ha−1to 336 ×104plants ha−1) in conjunction with the application of 290 kg N ha−1N will maximize GY, and also increase PFPN(39.7 kg kg−1), compared with the application of 360 kg N ha−1N. Therefore, an appropriate combination of increased planting density with reduced N application could regulate tiller number and favor the superior tiller group, to produce wheat populations with enhanced yield and NUE.

Effect of in-season application methods of fertilizer nitrogen on grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in maize

2004 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. L. Ma ◽  
M. Li ◽  
L. M. Dwyer ◽  
G. Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Nitrogen Use Efficiency ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Foliar Spray ◽  
Soil N ◽  
Nitrogen Use ◽  
N Application ◽  
Maize Hybrids ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Application Methods

Little information is available comparing agronomic performance and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) for N application methods such as foliar spray, soil application, and ear injection in maize (Zea mays L.). The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of various N application methods on total stover dry matter, grain yield, and NUE of maize hybrids using a 15N-labeling approach. A field experiment was conducted on a Dalhousie clay loam in Ottawa and a Guelph loam in Guelph for 2 yr (1999 and 2000). Three N application methods were tested on two maize hybrids, Pioneer 3893 and Pioneer 38P06 Bt. At planting, 60 kg N ha-1 as ammonium nitrate was applied to all treatments. In addition, 6.5 kg N ha-1 and 13.5 kg N ha-1 as 15N-labeled urea were applied to either foliage (Treatment I) or soil (Treatment II) at V6 and V12 stages, respectively. In Treatment III, 20 kg N ha-1 as 15N-labeled urea was injected into space between ear and husks at silking. The results showed that compared with soil N application neither foliar spray nor injection through ear affected grain yield or stover dry matter. The NUE values ranged from 12 to 76% for N fertilizer applied at V6 a nd V12 stages, or at silking for all treatments. There was no interaction of hybrid × N application methods on any variables measured with the only exception that for soil N application, grain NUE in Pioneer 38P06 Bt was significant higher than in Pioneer 3893. The difference in total N and NUE of grain and stover between soil N application and foliar N spray was inconsistent. However, NUE was substantially higher for N injection through the ear than for foliar or soil application without differential responses between the two hybrids. Nitrogen injection through the ear at silking might have altered N redistribution within the plant and improved NUE. Hence, it can potentially enhance grain protein content. Foliar N spray is not advocated for maize production in Ontario. Key words: Maize, Zea mays, nitrogen application methods, nitrogen-15, yield, nitrogen use efficiency

scholarly journals Effect of Wheat Cover Crop and Split Nitrogen Application on Corn Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oladapo Adeyemi ◽  
Reza Keshavarz-Afshar ◽  
Emad Jahanzad ◽  
Martin Leonardo Battaglia ◽  
Yuan Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Nitrogen Use Efficiency ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Nitrogen Use ◽  
N Application ◽  
Use Efficiency

Corn (Zea mays L.) grain is a major commodity crop in Illinois and its production largely relies on timely application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers. Currently, growers in Illinois and other neighboring states in the U.S. Midwest use the maximum return to N (MRTN) decision support system to predict corn N requirements. However, the current tool does not factor in implications of integrating cover crops into the rotation, which has recently gained attention among growers due to several ecosystem services associated with cover cropping. A two-year field trail was conducted at the Agronomy Research Center in Carbondale, IL in 2018 and 2019 to evaluate whether split N application affects nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of corn with and without a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cover crop. A randomized complete block design with split plot arrangements and four replicates was used. Main plots were cover crop treatments (no cover crop (control) compared to a wheat cover crop) and subplots were N timing applications to the corn: (1) 168 kg N ha−1 at planting; (2) 56 kg N ha−1 at planting + 112 kg N ha−1 at sidedress; (3) 112 kg N ha−1 at planting + 56 kg N ha−1 at sidedress; and (4) 168 kg N ha−1 at sidedress along with a zero-N control as check plot. Corn yield was higher in 2018 than 2019 reflecting more timely precipitation in that year. In 2018, grain yield declined by 12.6% following the wheat cover crop compared to no cover crop control, indicating a yield penalty when corn was preceded with a wheat cover crop. In 2018, a year with timely and sufficient rainfall, there were no yield differences among N treatments and N balances were near zero. In 2019, delaying the N application improved NUE and corn grain yield due to excessive rainfall early in the season reflecting on N losses which was confirmed by lower N balances in sidedressed treatments. Overall, our findings suggest including N credit for cereals in MRTN prediction model could help with improved N management in the Midwestern United States.

scholarly journals Optimization of Nitrogen Fertilizer Application with Climate-Smart Agriculture in the North China Plain

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 3415
Author(s):  
Jinsai Chen ◽  
Guangshuai Wang ◽  
Abdoul Kader Mounkaila Hamani ◽  
Abubakar Sunusi Amin ◽  
Weihao Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Use Efficiency ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Nitrogen Application ◽  
Residual Concentration ◽  
Nitrogen Use ◽  
N Application ◽  
Use Efficiency

Long−term excessive nitrogen fertilizer input has resulted in several environmental problems, including an increase in N2O emissions and the aggravation of nitrate leaching; monitoring nitrogen fertilizer is crucial for maize with high yield. This study aimed to optimize the amount of nitrogen applied to maize by Climate−Smart Agriculture (CSA) so as to continuously improve agricultural productivity and reduce or eliminate N2O emissions as much as possible. Field experiments with a completely randomized design were conducted to examine the effects of six nitrogen treatments (N application levels of 0, 120, 180, 240, 300, 360 kg·ha−1, respectively) on N2O emissions, residual concentration of nitrate and ammonium nitrogen, maize yield, and nitrogen utilization efficiency in 2018 and 2019. The results indicated that the residual concentration of nitrate nitrogen (NO3-−N) in the two seasons significantly increased; N2O emissions significantly increased, and the nitrogen fertilizer agronomic efficiency and partial productivity of maize fell dramatically as the nitrogen application rate increased. The maize grain yield rose when the N application amount was raised (N application amount <300 kg·ha−1) but decreased when the N application amount > 300 kg·ha−1. An increase in the nitrogen application rate can decrease nitrogen use efficiency, increase soil NO3-−N residual, and N2O emissions. Reasonable nitrogen application can increase maize yield and reduce N2O emissions and be conducive to improving nitrogen use efficiency. By considering summer maize yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and farmland ecological environment, 173.94~178.34 kg N kg·ha−1 could be utilized as the nitrogen threshold for summer maize in the North China Plain.

Optimizing fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency by intensively managed spring wheat in humid regions: Effect of split application

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 847-856 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Luis Velasco ◽  
Hernán Sainz Rozas ◽  
Hernán Eduardo Echeverría ◽  
Pablo Andrés Barbieri
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Spring Wheat ◽  
Nitrogen Use Efficiency ◽  
Split Application ◽  
Nitrogen Use ◽  
N Application ◽  
Fertilizer Nitrogen ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Intensively Managed

Velasco, J. L., Rozas, H. S., Echeverría, H. E. and Barbieri, P. A. 2012. Optimizing fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency by intensively managed spring wheat in humid regions: Effect of split application. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 847–856. Efficient N fertilizer management is critical for the economical production of wheat and the long-term protection of the environment. Six experiments were conducted at three locations in the south-east of the province of Buenos Aires (SE), Argentina, during a 4-yr period, on Typic Argiudoll and Petrocalcic Paleudoll. The study was designed to evaluate the effects of splitting nitrogen (N) fertilizer on N use efficiency (NUE) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Rates of 0 to 150 kg N ha−1were used, applied at tillering (Z24) or split between Z24 and flag leaf (Z39). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with three replications. Grain yield ranged from 3522 to 8185 kg ha−1, according to N availability and application time. In the experiments without water stress (three out of six), average grain yield (across experiments) was 6669 and 6989 kg ha−1for full and split fertilization, respectively. In four out of six experiments, average N in above-ground biomass (NAB), N recovery fraction (NRF), and grain protein content (GPC) for split N application were greater than for full N at Z24 (NAB, 176 and 157 kg N ha−1; NRF, 66 and 51%; GPC, 100 and 92 g kg−1, for split and full N application, respectively). In years without water stress, splitting N between Z24 and Z39 is an appropriate strategy to improve NRF, reducing N losses, and minimizing the environmental impact of fertilization.

Effect of Low Nitrogen Rate Combined with High Plant Density on Grain Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Super Rice

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (10) ◽  
pp. 1591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Bing XIE ◽  
Xue-Feng ZHOU ◽  
Peng JIANG ◽  
Jia-Na CHEN ◽  
Rui-Chun ZHANG ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Nitrogen Use Efficiency ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Nitrogen Rate ◽  
Nitrogen Use ◽  
High Plant Density ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Low Nitrogen

scholarly journals Effect of Long-Term Nitrogen Addition on Wheat Yield, Nitrogen Use Efficiency, and Residual Soil Nitrate in a Semiarid Area of the Loess Plateau of China

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aixia Xu ◽  
Lingling Li ◽  
Junhong Xie ◽  
Xingzheng Wang ◽  
Jeffrey A. Coulter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Nitrogen Use Efficiency ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Residual Soil ◽  
Nitrogen Use ◽  
N Application ◽  
Use Efficiency

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer plays an important role in wheat yield, but N application rates vary greatly, and there is a lack of data to quantify the residual effects of N fertilization on soil N availability. A 17-yr experiment was conducted in a semiarid area of the Loess Plateau of China to assess the effects of N fertilization on spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield, N uptake, N utilization efficiency, and residual soil nitrate. Treatments included a non-N-fertilized control and annual application of 52.5, 105.0, 157.5, and 210.0 kg N ha−1 in the first two years (2003 and 2004). In the third year (2005), the four main plots with N fertilizer application were split. In one subplot, N fertilization was continued as mentioned previously, while in the other subplot, N fertilization was stopped. The concentration of NO3-N in the 0–110 cm depth soil layers was significantly affected by N application, with higher N rates associated with greater soil NO3-N concentration. With the annual application of N over 17 years, residual soil NO3-N concentration in the 100–200 cm soil layer in the last study year was significantly greater than that in the non-N-fertilized control and was increased with rate of N application. There was a significant positive relationship of soil NO3-N in the 0–50 cm and 50–110 cm soil layers at wheat sowing with wheat grain N content and yield. Wheat grain yield in the third year (2005) was significantly, i.e., 22.57–59.53%, greater than the unfertilized treatment after the N application was stopped. Nitrogen use efficiency decreased in response to each increment of added N fertilizer, and was directly related to N harvest index and grain yield. Therefore, greater utilization of residual soil N through appropriate N fertilizer rates could enhance nitrogen use efficiency while reducing the cost of crop production and risk of N losses to the environment. For these concerns, optimum N fertilizer application rate for spring wheat in semiarid Loess Plateau is about 105 kg N ha−1, which is below the threshold value of 170 kg N ha−1 per year as defined by most EU countries.

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