Effect of fertilization system and NO3-N distribution on corn yield

Abstract

The objectives of the study have been to determine the effects of winter precipitation, NO3-N distribution in the soil profile and their interaction on corn yield in different fertilization systems. Corn yield varied across fertilization systems and winter rainfall in the investigated years (2001–2004). Significantly higher yields were found in variants with manure application in diculture (DC-M-NPK — 12.11 t ha−1) and in monoculture (MC-M-NPK — 9.25 t ha−1). Path coefficients showed that the highest direct positive effects on corn yields were exhibited by NO3-N amounts at soil depths 30–60 cm and 60–90 cm (p = 0.4336** and p = 0.2346**, respectively). Winter precipitation had a direct negative effect on the yield performance (p = −0.1159), however, the downward movement of NO3-N from topsoil (0–30 cm) to deeper soil layers (30–60 and 60–90 cm), whose N levels were directly positively correlated with yield, made the indirect effect of winter precipitation on yield positive.