Abstract
NPK fertilizer briquettes (NPKBriq) and organically enhanced N fertilizer (OENF), as newly developed fertilizer products, are reported to increase maize (Zea mays L.) yield and N use efficiency, but their effects on maize grain composition are unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of NPKBriq and OENF on the protein, oil, fiber, ash, and starch of maize grain. A field study was conducted at Jackson and Grand Junction, TN, during 2012 and 2013, with NPKBriq, OENF, ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4) (+P and K), and urea (+P and K) as the main treatments and 0, 85, 128, and 170 kg N ha−1 as the sub treatments under a randomized complete block split plot design with four replicates. The fiber concentration was more responsive to the fertilizer source than the protein, oil, ash, and starch concentrations. OENF resulted in a higher fiber concentration than NPKBriq at 85 kg N ha−1 in 2013, averaged over the two sites. Both OENF and NPKBriq had nearly no significant effects on the concentrations of the quality attributes compared with ammonium sulfate and urea. In conclusion, the nutrient-balanced NPKBriq exerts the same or greater effects on maize grain quality relative to the commonly used nutrient management practices of urea (+P and K) and ammonium sulfate (+P and K) under normal weather conditions. OENF is an alternate N source to urea and ammonium sulfate for similar to higher maize grain quality.
Highlights
Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereal crops in the human diet and an important feed source for livestock in large parts of the world, and global maize production exceeds 600 million metric tons per year [1]
The interactive effect of N rate × fertilizer source showed that the organically enhanced N fertilizer (OENF) resulted in a 21.6% higher fiber concentration than the NPK fertilizer briquettes (NPKBriq) at 85 kg N ha−1, but no difference in fiber was observed among the four fertilizers at any other N rate, averaged over all the site-years (Figure 1)
Fiber concentration was more responsive to the N fertilizer source than the protein, oil, ash and starch concentrations
Summary
Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereal crops in the human diet and an important feed source for livestock in large parts of the world, and global maize production exceeds 600 million metric tons per year [1]. Both maize grain and stalks can be used as raw material to produce biofuel and biogas [2]. Abbasi et al found that maize yield was significantly affected by the N fertilizer source [4].
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