Abstract
Previous research has identified several factors that may influence corn response to starter fertilizer including hybrid genetics and planting date. However research examining the influences of these management factors on corn response to starter fertilizer has produced inconsistent results. The objective of this experiment was to determine if hybrid maturity and planting date affect corn yield responses to starter fertilizer. The experiment was conducted near Columbia, MO in 2000 and 2001 and consisted of eight hybrids with and without starter fertilizer. Hybrids were selected for a range in maturity. Starter fertilizer was placed 2 inches to the side and 2 inches below the seed at a rate of 30 lb of N per acre and 30 lb of P2O5 per acre. Starter fertilizer increased plant height for four of the five planting date-year combinations and reduced the number of days from planting to midsilk for all five combinations. The magnitude of the changes in plant height and number of days from planting to midsilk due to starter fertilizer application were greater for April planting dates than for May planting dates. Starter fertilizer increased corn grain yield in two of the five planting date-year combinations. Planting date had no effect on the magnitude of the yield response from starter fertilizer. Hybrid maturity affected plant height and days to midsilk responses to starter fertilizer for several planting dates. In instances when hybrid maturity affected the response to starter fertilizer, later-maturing hybrids responded more than early maturing hybrids. There was no effect of hybrid maturity on yield response to starter fertilizer.
Published Version
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