Ammonia volatilization and nitrogen use efficiency in the field of fresh edible maize as affec-ted by different band fertilization depths of controlled-release urea

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to examine the effects of controlled-release urea (CRU) application on ammonia (NH3) volatilization, nitrogen (N) use efficiency and fresh ear yield of fresh edible maize. The treatments included one control (CK: no N fertilizer application) and four different band fertilization depths (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 cm). Results showed that NH3 volatilization from non-fertilization band and planting band mainly occurred in the first two weeks after the fertilization, which lasted for almost a month in the fertilization band. Compared to CK, surface broadcasted CRU (0 cm) significantly increased NH3 volatilization from wide-row non-fertilization band or planting band in field. Soil NH3 volatilization amounts ranged from 3.1 to 25.5 kg N·hm-2 with the different depths of CRU application treatments, accounting for 1.7%-14.2% of total N applied. The cumulative NH3 volatilizations were comparable among the depths of 10, 15 and 20 cm of CRU fertilization treatments, which were significantly decreased by 85.9%-87.8% and 67.0%-71.6% as compared with surface broadcasted CRU and 5 cm of CRU fertilization, respectively. The increases of CRU application depth within a certain extent could increase fresh ear yield, total nitrogen accumulation of plants during milking stage, partial factor productivity, agronomic efficiency and apparent recovery efficiency of nitrogenous fertilizer, and the maximum values of these indices were recorded for 15 cm depth. We concluded that CRU application at 15 cm depth would be the optimal practice in terms of reducing NH3 volatilization and improving N use efficiency of fresh edible maize.