Impact of N Supply on Some Leaf Characteristics of Maize Crop

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient widely used in maize crop production. The application of a high N rate is commonly practiced by growers as a "guarantee" of optimal growth and yield. However, excessive nitrogen consumption can cause wastage, negatively impact plants, and adversely affects the environment. This paper reports on the impact of N supply on leaf characteristics in maize. Maize was grown in an experimental plot of the Department of Agronomy, The Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Hungary, during the spring and summer of 2021 (May - October). Four observation plots consisting of ​​102 m area size were evaluated for various N levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha-1 N a.i) with marked plants sampling in four replications. Data collection on leaf traits viz. leaf number plant-1 (B), leaf number plant-1 (S), temperature 0C (leaf surface), SPAD, leaf length (cm), leaf width (cm), and leaf area (cm2) were measured one week after application in weekly sequences of N until the eighth week. The results showed that nitrogen fertilizer application increased the leaf number plant-1 (B), temperature, SPAD, and leaf width while contrasting with leaf number plant-1 (S). However, there was no difference in leaf length for all treatments studied. Although an increase occurred up to the use of 100 N. Whereas, the 150 N treatment showed low performance and exhibited a negative correlation for all traits except temperature and number of leaves (S). The results suggest that treatment of 100 N produced the best results in most traits studied. Furthermore, a detailed research study is needed to confirm the findings, as many other environmental factors influence maize plant growth.