Nitrogen Recovery Efficiency from Urea Treated with NSN Co-Polymer Applied to No-Till Corn

Pablo Barbieri,Hernán Sainz Rozas,Hernán Echeverría

doi:10.3390/agronomy8080154

Pablo Barbieri, Hernán Sainz Rozas + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy8080154

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Abstract

Nitrogen (N) rate increases used by many farmers produce a reduced or null effect on N recovery efficiency (RE) by crops. Therefore, management practices to reduce N losses and increase RE are necessary. Co-polymer maleic itaconic acid (NSN) have become available for use with urea and has shown potential in reducing N losses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of urea treated with NSN on grain yield and RE in a no-till corn. A field experiment was carried out at Balcarce, Argentina over three years, evaluated treatments were urea and urea + NSN at 120 N kg ha−1, and additional 0 N treatment was included. Urea + NSN was effective to reduce total ammonia volatilization losses, and the average of two years were 1.4 (1.1% to N applied) and 8.7 kg ha−1 (7.2% to N applied) for urea + NSN and urea, respectively. However, while grain yield and N grain removal were not affected by urea + NSN, the N rate significantly increased grain yield and N grain removal. Nitrogen recovery efficiency was not affected by urea + NSN, RE (average of three years) was 29.0% and 27.8% for urea and urea + NSN, respectively. In conclusion, there was no advantage of using urea treated with NSN in no-till corn overgrain yield, N grain removal, or RE.

Highlights

Nitrogen (N) is often the most yield-limiting nutrient, in corn (Zea mays L.) production systems [1]
While grain yield and N grain removal were not affected by urea + necessary. Co-polymer maleic itaconic acid (NSN), the N rate significantly increased grain yield and N grain removal
In year 1, where the rainfall registered from October to March plus irrigation totaled 450 mm, a light water deficit event was registered at the beginning of critical kernel set period [32]

Summary

Introduction

Nitrogen (N) is often the most yield-limiting nutrient, in corn (Zea mays L.) production systems [1]. Agriculture intensification and use of crops with higher grain yield potential have increased N fertilizer rates, with a reduced or null effect on the improvement in N recovery efficiency (RE) by the crops [2]. Efficient use of N in crop production is crucial for increasing crop yield and quality, environmental safety, and economic considerations [3,4]. Broadcasting fertilizers that produce NH4 + (urea and UAN) could result in large ammonia volatilization losses (NH3 -N). The magnitude of NH3 -N losses in no-till scenarios is affected by environmental factors (humidity, temperature, and wind), soil (pH, buffer capacity, cation exchange capacity, organic matter), crop (quantity and type of crop residues), N source and rate [5,6,7], and fertilization time and placement [8,9,10,11]

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