Abstract
<p>Practices to increase nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) include selecting appropriate N fertilizer sources and application methods, but minimal research has focused on these practices in poorly-drained claypan soils which are prone to N loss. This research assessed the impact of different urea fertilizer placement practices on corn (<em>Zea mays</em> L.) production and N utilization in a poorly-drained claypan soil. Field trials were conducted in 2014 and 2015 in Missouri. Treatments consisted of pre-plant deep banding (20 cm) urea at 202 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup> or urea plus a nitrification inhibitor (NI) (nitrapyrin) compared to pre-plant urea broadcast surface-applied or incorporated to a depth of 8 cm. In 2014, incorporating urea, deep banding urea, and deep banding urea plus NI had higher yields (&gt; 10%) of corn compared to the control with grain yields ranging from 13.73 to 14.05 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup>. In 2015, grain yields were lower than in 2014, ranging from 4.1 to 7.9 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup>. Deep placing banded urea with a NI yielded an increase in grain yield up to 48% compared to the other treatments. Rainfall amounts were higher in 2015, which could have resulted in poorer root growth and greater N loss in deep banded treatments. In 2014, deep banding urea with a NI produced the highest NUE. Similar to NUE, silage tissue N concentrations in 2014 were greater with deep banded urea plus NI, while in 2015 silage tissue N concentrations were higher with surface applied urea. The results suggest that urea fertilizer incorporation including deep banding may improve corn grain production, N uptake, and NUE, but response was affected by climatic conditions. The addition of an NI may be an important safeguard when deep banding urea in years with excessive precipitation.</p>
Highlights
1.1 Nitrogen Management of Poorly-Drained SoilsNitrogen fertilizer management strategies to increase N use efficiency (NUE) and corn production have focused on enhancing plant N availability at critical growth stages and minimizing environmental N losses
Treatments consisted of a non-treated control, urea deep banded (UDB) at a depth of 20 cm, urea deep banded (20 cm) plus a nitrification inhibitor (UDB+NI), urea incorporated after surface broadcast application (UAA) at a depth of approximately 8 cm, and urea broadcast surface applied after incorporation (USA)
These corn grain yield results were similar to the 2014 results found in this study in which the UAA, UDB and UDB+NI fertilizer placement treatments resulted in higher grain yields than that of the USA treatment
Summary
Nitrogen fertilizer management strategies to increase NUE and corn production have focused on enhancing plant N availability at critical growth stages and minimizing environmental N losses. These management strategies have included changes in crop genetic traits (Hirel et al, 2011), N fertilizer sources (Nelson et al, 2008), timings and methods of fertilizer application (Nash et al, 2013), and the spatial placement of N fertilizer in soil (Drury et al, 2006) or across agricultural fields (Motavalli et al, 2012; Roberts et al, 2012). Research on a poorly-drained claypan soil in Missouri has indicated that strip tillage and deep banding of N fertilizer to a depth of 15 cm increased corn yields 1.57 to 5.39 Mg ha-1 compared to no-till, broadcast surface application of N fertilizer (Nash et al, 2013). Lehrsch et al (2000) observed a 6% increase in tissue N jas.ccsenet.org
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