Levels Of Nitrogen Fertilization Research Articles

The Impact of Different Nitrogen Levels on the Tuber Yield and Anthocyanin Synthesis of Purple Potatoes

The biosynthesis of anthocyanins is influenced by external environmental conditions such as light, temperature, and nitrogen level, with nitrogen level being a key factor in anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation. Nitrogen level regulates the transcription factors involved in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway, with low nitrogen levels promoting anthocyanin accumulation, while high nitrogen levels have the opposite effect. Purple potatoes are a type of cultivated crop that is rich in anthocyanins and has unique economic value. Nitrogen fertilizer is crucial to improve the agronomic traits, yield, quality, and anthocyanin content of purple potatoes. In this study, the impact of four different nitrogen concentrations—0 kg/hm2 (N0), 90 kg/hm2 (N1), 225 kg/hm2 (N2) and 360 kg/hm2 (N3)—on the agronomic traits, yield, quality, and anthocyanin content of purple potatoes, ‘Huasong 66’, at different stages were investigated by using physiological index measurement and RNA-seq technology. It was found that the purple potato ‘Huasong 66’ was more sensitive to low nitrogen (N1). Under N1 level of nitrogen fertilization, ‘Huasong 66’ possessed the finest agronomic traits, yield, and quality, and the total anthocyanins in the tubers were significantly increased. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that nitrogen levels in purple potato tubers primarily affect genes related to nutrient transport and metabolism by regulating carbon and nitrogen metabolism, enzyme catalysis and binding, and signal transduction. In addition, nine candidate genes related to the anthocyanin synthesis pathway had been preliminarily screened. These results provide a basis to understand the impact of different nitrogen levels on the tuber yield and anthocyanin synthesis of purple potatoes.

Response of Winter Wheat to Delayed Sowing and Varied Nitrogen Fertilization

Common wheat is one of the most important cereal crops in the world. In cultivation, winter, spring, and facultative varieties of this species are known. In wheat agronomy, timely sowing and optimal nitrogen fertilization are particularly crucial practices, as both significantly impact yield and grain quality. In a three-year field experiment, the response of the winter wheat variety RGT Kilimanjaro to two sowing dates (recommended and delayed by 30 days) and varied nitrogen fertilization levels (100 kg ha−1, 150 kg ha−1, and 200 kg ha−1) was investigated. It was shown that the difference in grain yield between 2021 and 2023 amounted to 0.74 kg ha−1. The application of 200 N kg ha−1 significantly increased the Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) index and Leaf Area Index (LAI) compared to the variant with a delayed sowing date and a nitrogen dose of 100 kg ha−1. Yield components (number of spikes per square meter, thousand grain weight) and grain yield were highest when wheat was sown at the recommended date and with the application of either 150 or 200 N kg ha−1. The number of grains per spike significantly varied between the variant with the recommended sowing date and a dose of 200 N kg ha−1 and the variant with a delayed sowing date and a dose of 100 N kg ha−1. The lowest grain yield was obtained at a 30-day late wheat sowing date when applying 100 N kg ha−1. The protein content in the grain was primarily influenced by nitrogen fertilization. Therefore, it can be concluded that delaying the sowing date of winter wheat by 30 days results in a decrease in grain yield but can be compensated by increased nitrogen fertilization. The most favorable economic effects were achieved with the application of 150 N kg ha−1 at the recommended sowing date. Considering that high doses of nitrogen fertilization can have adverse effects on the natural environment, research in this area should be continued.

Grain yield productivity, nutrient uptake and use efficiency and profitability of oat (Avena sativa L.) as influenced by variety and levels of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers in the central highlands of Ethiopia

Grain yield productivity, nutrient uptake and use efficiency and profitability of oat (Avena sativa L.) as influenced by variety and levels of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers in the central highlands of Ethiopia

Dynamics of soil water and nitrate within the vadose zone simulated by the WHCNS model calibrated based on deep learning

Excessive application of water and nitrogen fertilizer during farmland management practices leads to serious groundwater nitrate pollution. A field experiment was conducted during the spring maize growth period in Alxa, Inner Mongolia, China. The soil Water Heat Carbon Nitrogen Simulator (WHCNS) model was calibrated by the ensemble smoother method (ES(DL)) based on the field experiment. Then dynamics of soil water content, soil water percolation flux, soil nitrate concentration and soil nitrate leaching flux were simulated with the calibrated WHCNS model under different water and nitrogen fertilization treatments within the vadose zone. The main conclusions are as follows: ES(DL) is feasible for the calibration of the WHCNS model. RMSE_Maximum a posteriori (RMSE_MAP) of soil water content are 0.0301 cm3 cm−3 and 0.0302 cm3 cm−3 for model calibration and model validation, respectively. RMSE_MAP of soil nitrate concentration are 5.49 mg N kg−1 and 3.86 mg N kg−1 for model calibration and model validation, respectively. Both average soil nitrate concentration and average nitrate leaching flux increase with increasing irrigation amount under the same nitrogen fertilization level for the depths of 1.2 m and 1.8 m. However, average soil nitrate concentration decreased and leaching flux increased with increasing irrigation amount under the same nitrogen fertilization level for the depths of 10 m and 20 m. The study of nitrate dynamics in the deep vadose zone contributes to better understand the procedure of nitrate pollution in groundwater caused by excessive water and nitrogen application.

Sward characteristics, herbage accumulation and nutritional value of elephantgrass based mixed with or without pinto peanut.

Elephantgrass stands out for its high potential for forage production in different tropical and subtropical regions. In most properties, it is cultivated intensively with high doses of mineral fertilizers, mainly nitrogen, which makes production expensive and less sustainable. In this context, the mixtures of elephantgrass with forage legumes can make the system more efficient and with less environmental impact. Thus, the objective is to evaluate elephantgrass-based grazing systems,with or without a legume in terms of sward characteristics, herbage accumulation and nutritional value of pastures during one, agricultural year. Two grazing systems (treatments) were analyzed: (i) elephantgrass-based (EG) with mixed spontaneous-growing species (SGE) in the warm-season and ryegrass (R) in the cool-season; and (ii) EG + SGE + R + pinto peanut. The standardization criterion between the systems was the level of nitrogen fertilization (120 kg N/ha/year). The presence of pinto peanut positively affected the botanical composition of the pasture, with a reduction in SGE and dead material, and in the morphology of elephantgrass, with a greater proportion of leaf blades, and less stem + sheath and senescent material. In themixture with pinto peanut, there was an increase in herbage accumulation and greater nutritional value of forage.

Agronomic Characteristics of Red Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Red) under Different Level of Nitrogen Fertilization and Harvest Ages

This experiment aimed to find out the morphological characteristics and biomass DM production of Red Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Red) under different levels of nitrogen fertilization and harvest ages. The grass stem cuttings were planted on polybags. A Completely Randomized Factorial Design (CRFD) was employed comprising 2 treatment factors. The first factor was harvest age of K1: 50 days of age K2: 60 days of age and K3: 70 days of age and the second factor was level of N fertilization comprised P1: no fertilization, P2: 100 kg N /ha/year, P3: 200 kg N/ha/year, P4: 300 kg N/ha/year. The treatments were applied after the grasses were trimmed at 90 days after planting. The variables measured include plant height, number of tillers, leaves-to-stem ratio, and biomass production. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and least significant difference test. It was found that interaction of treatments significantly (P<0.01) affects plant height and biomass DM production. Treatments of age of harvest and level of N fertilization, respectively significantly (P<0.01) affect either number of tillers or leaves-to-stem ratio. It was concluded that K3 and P3 gave the highest value for all variables measured.

Relação entre índices espectrais e parâmetros de qualidade da forrageira tifton 85

ABSTRACT Computer vision systems can be an alternative to traditional methods of analyzing the quality of forage crops, allowing the instantaneous, non-destructive monitoring of the crop, with cost reduction. This study aimed to evaluate the quality parameters of Tifton 85 (Cynodon spp.) using digital images, relating spectral indices to the quality parameters of this forage. In the experimental area, four levels of nitrogen fertilization were applied and the analyses were made at different times after the standardization cut (14, 28, 42, and 56 days). The quality parameters evaluated were mineral matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber. From images obtained in the visible (RGB) and near-infrared (RGNIR) spectral regions, spectral indices were generated. Principal component analysis was applied to summarize the information obtained by spectral indices into a single principal component (PCI). PCI associated with spectral indices was related to forage quality parameters for each cutting time using simple quadratic regression models. The relationships between mineral matter and spectral indices were variable over time. Crude protein and neutral detergent fiber showed the highest relationships with the spectral indices obtained by RGNIR images already at the initial times. Thus, although the RGB images have shown satisfactory results to obtain information about the quality of Tifton 85, the NIR band tends to increase the reliability of the relationships at early times.

The estimation of wheat yield combined with UAV canopy spectral and volumetric data

AbstractEstimating wheat yield accurately is crucial for efficient agricultural management. While canopy spectral information is widely used for this purpose, the incorporation of canopy volumetric features (CVFs) remains underexplored. This study bridges this gap by utilizing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral imaging to capture images and elevation data of wheat at key developmental stages—gestation and flowering stages. We innovatively leveraged the elevation differences between these stages to calculate canopy height, develop a novel CVF, and refine the wheat yield prediction model across various wheat varieties, nitrogen fertilizer levels, and planting densities. The integration of canopy volume information significantly enhanced the accuracy of our yield prediction model, as evidenced by an R2 of 0.8380, an RMSE of 313.3 kg/ha, and an nRMSE of 11.33%. This approach not only yielded more precise estimates than models relying solely on spectral data but also introduced a novel dimension to wheat yield estimation methodologies. Our findings suggest that incorporating canopy volume characteristics can substantially optimize wheat yield prediction models, presenting a groundbreaking perspective for agricultural yield estimation.

How does the neighborhood of annual or perennial species affect the first one hundred days of the establishment of grasses?

Pastures that include annual and perennial grasses can play a strategic role in increasing the sustainability of temperate livestock systems. However, the impacts of the competition between annual and perennial genetically improved forage species on pastures has scarcely been studied. We evaluated the early dynamics of tillering, carbon partitioning and both intra- and interspecific competition in – or between – an annual (Bromus willdenowii; prairie grass; Bw) and a perennial (Dactylis glomerata; orchard grass; Dg) C3 grass species. We sowed 24 0.18 m2 microplots in May 2008. Each microplot constituted an experimental unit and contained five sowing lines spaced 0.175 m apart. On three of the lines, we sowed different combinations of the mentioned grasses, while on the two lines between them, we sowed red clover (Trifolium pratense). We randomly applied a factorial array of eight treatments—2 species (Dg vs. Bw) × 2 types of competition (intra vs. interspecific) × 2 levels of winter nitrogen fertilization (0 vs. 170 kg of N ha-1)—designed in three complete random blocks. Fertilization did not have any significant effect on any species. The evaluation period lasted 109 days after sowing (das), separated into three phases (0-53 das, 59-90 das and 90-109 das). The variables recorded were aerial biomass (leaves, sheets and senescent material), root biomass and tiller density per species. As expected, annual Bw inhibited the growth of perennial Dg at the latest stage of establishment but surprisingly promoted it at the earliest stage. This work suggested that a low initial density of an annual species should optimize the initial facilitating effect of the annual species on the perennial species with its subsequent inhibitory effect.

Evaluating agronomic traits and selection of low N-tolerant maize hybrids in Indonesia

<p>Nitrogen is one of the macro elements that maize needs. Nitrogen deficiency will affect maize's growth and grain yield. This study aimed to determine hybrid maize's growth, grain yield, and tolerance to low N conditions. This research was conducted at the Indonesian Cereal Testing Instrument Standard Institute in Maros, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, from July to November 2022. A nested design was applied with eleven hybrid maize genotypes and three N fertilization levels (N0 = 0 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup>, N1 = 100 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup>, and N2 = 200 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup>) as treatments, replicated three times. Growth and grain yield traits were measured. An analysis of variance was used to determine the effect of fertilization level on growth. Eberhart and Russell stability analysis and the Stress Tolerance Index (STI) were used to determine hybrid maize tolerance and yield stability across the three fertilization levels. The findings indicated that the reduction in nitrogen fertilizer level affected maize agronomic performance and yield reduction. HLN 09 exhibited a mean yield of 7.68 t ha<sup>-1</sup>, surpassing the overall hybrid mean of 7.21 t ha<sup>-1</sup>. HLN 09 also demonstrated moderate stress tolerance at N2-N1, N2-N0, and N1-N0 and was characterized as a stable hybrid with regression coefficient (bi) = 0.99 and deviation from regression (s<sup>2</sup>di) = -0.22. The HLN 09 maize hybrid was a hybrid maize with good tolerance to low N conditions and high stability and yield.</p>

Waste from sewage treatment plants used in soybean cultivation: its influence on crop development

The aim of the present study is to assess the effect of using composted sewage sludge (CSS) and wastewater from a sewage treatment plant (WW) on soybean plants’ development. Treatments were assessed through completely randomized design experiments carried out at split-plot arrangements based on nitrogen fertilization levels and types and on irrigation water nature – potable (WP) and wastewater (WW). Seven nitrogen fertilization levels were distributed into two plots represented by irrigation with WP and WW, namely: T0 = without nitrogen fertilization; T1 = 100% chemical nitrogen fertilization; T2 = 50% chemical nitrogen fertilization + 50% nitrogen fertilization via CSS; T3, T4, T5 and T6 corresponded to 100%, 150%, 200% and 250% CSS nitrogen fertilization, respectively. Conventional nitrogen fertilization replacement by CSS did not significantly change the behavior of the assessed variables: plant height and mass of 100 grains. This finding points towards the possibility of saving inputs by replacing chemical fertilization by organic fertilization. Irrigation with wastewater led to 37% increase in dry matter mass and 21% in mass of 100 grains.

Response of Olive Trees (Olea europaea L.) cv. Kalinioti to Nitrogen Fertilizer Application

Nitrogen is the most commonly managed mineral nutrient in olive groves because it is essential for plant growth. The precise management of N fertilization in olive cultivation is still not fully clarified, but it is essential for providing sustainable production. A nitrogen fertilizer experiment with olive trees (cv. Kalinioti) was carried out over a six-year period. Seven levels of nitrogen fertilizer given as ammonium nitrate (control, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 kg/tree) were annually applied in order to determine the effect of nitrogen on vegetative growth, fruit set, fruit weight, yield, maturation index, and leaf N, P, and K concentrations. The results indicate that, under these conditions, application of up to 4 kg NH4NO3/tree significantly increased yield to 62.5 kg/tree compared to the control (37.09 kg/tree). The positive effect was attributed to the initial and final fruit set increases (7.63 and 3.73%, respectively at 4 kg NH4NO3/tree). However, the weight of 100 olives (W100 = 331 g) at 4 kg NH4NO3/tree obtained during harvest was considerably lower compared to the control (W100 = 384 g). Higher nitrogen rates decreased yield while increasing overall shoot growth. Nitrogen fertilization did not significantly influence the oil content of olive fruit. Fruit weight, maturation index, and concentration of oil reached maximum levels in the beginning of December, indicating a suitable start to olive harvesting. The concentration of N in olive leaves increased from 1.23% to 2.38% as fertilizer levels increased from 0 to 6 kg NH4NO3. Maximum yield was achieved at a level of 6 kg NH4NO3/tree, which corresponded to 2.01% N in leaves. The results suggest that application of 3 kg NH4NO3/tree can be recommended for table olive production, due to the fact that fruit weight was not decreased, while fertilization with 4 kg NH4NO3/tree was suitable for oil olives.

Genetic Stability of Different Genotypes of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Grown Under Levels of Nitrogen Fertilizer

Obtaining highly productive and stable varieties through different environments is one of the most important goals sought by plant breeders. A field experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different nitrogen fertilizer levels on the stability of growth and grain yield in eight cultivars of bread wheat during two growing seasons (2020-2021 and 2021-2022), using split plot arrangement in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results showed that there was a significant response of some genotypes to the levels of nitrogen fertilizer for grain yield and its components during the two growing seasons. The Iba99 genotype was characterized by the highest mean of grain yield, number of grains. spike-1 and spike length, followed by the Baghdad2 genotype. The genotypes under study differed in the stability of traits in different environments. Baghdad2 showed the highest stability for important traits such as grain yield, weight of 1000 grains, number of grains spike-1 and spike length, while unstable and responded to different environments for plant height and a number of spikes.m-2. Whereas, Iba99 showed good stability for the spike length and the number of spikes.m-2, with its response to the environments for the other traits under study. Both stability phenotypic and genotypic resultant method and the stability triangle method showed very similar results with Eberhart and Russell method, therefore it is possible to rely on these two methods to estimate the stability of genotypes due to their lower complexity. Consequently, the stable genotypes traits in different environments can be selected and introduced directly into future breeding programs for the purpose of adopting new varieties. Although other genotypes showed superior characteristics of grain yield and its important components, they suffer by responding to different environments, thus they can be included in hybridization breeding programs with local varieties to transfer their desirable traits.

Modeling Spring Maize Grain Filling under Film Mulching and Nitrogen Application in a Cold and Arid Environment

The grain-filling process is a key stage in ensuring a high yield of maize. Nitrogen is one of the nutrient elements most essential for maize, especially in cold and arid areas. To evaluate the effects of plastic-film mulching and nitrogen application on the maize grain-filling process, the impact of different plastic-film mulching (degradable plastic film, J; common plastic-film mulching, P) and nitrogen fertilizer levels (0 kg·ha−1, N0; 160 kg·ha−1, N1; 320 kg·ha−1, N2; 480 kg·ha−1, N3) on maize grain-filling characteristic parameters and final 100-kernel weight were tested in 2021 and 2022. The results showed that the interaction between film mulching and nitrogen application significantly (p < 0.05) affected the filling characteristic parameters and final 100-kernel weight of maize. The final 100-kernel weight was highest at the N2 nitrogen application level, which was 7.69–38.13% higher under degradable plastic-film mulching and 3.17–38.06% higher under common plastic-film mulching than at other levels. The nitrogen application level significantly (p < 0.05) increased grain-filling duration and rate. The duration time in reaching the maximum grain-filling rate under the N2 nitrogen application level was around 1.1967–5.7835 d under degradable plastic-film mulching and 2.8688–8.1704 d under the common plastic-film mulching, with the maximum and average grain-filling rate increased by 0.0595–0.2063 g·d−1 and 0.0447–0.1423 g·d−1 under degradable film mulching and 0.1418–0.3058 g·d−1 and 0.1082–0.2125 g·d−1 under common film mulching, respectively. The nitrogen application levels of N2 and N3 under two plastic-film mulching methods prolonged the duration of the rapid and slow increase period of grain filling and increased the grain-filling rate and the average rate. The average grain-filling rate at the N2 level increased by 0.0469–0.1759 g·d−1 and 0.0090–0.0454 g·d−1 under degradable film mulching and 0.1113–0.2581 g·d−1 and 0.0203–0.0648 g·d−1 under common film mulching, respectively. Therefore, common plastic film mainly prolonged the duration of the gradual increase period of grain filling and increased the grain-filling rate; meanwhile, the effect of degraded plastic film on the grain-filling rate increase and prolonging of the grain-filling duration was gradually highlighted during the rapid and the slow period of increase. In addition, the 320 kg·ha−1 of nitrogen application level under both common plastic-film mulching and degradable-film mulching was more conducive to prolonging the grain-filling duration of maize, which increased the grain-filling rate and 100-kernel weight, laying a foundation for a high yield of maize.

Studies on Variable Level of N Fertigation on Growth, Yield and Quality of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Kandhari Kabuli

A field trial was conducted to study the effect of variable level of N along with recommended dose of P and K through fertigation on growth, yield and quality parameters of pomegranate on eleven year old pomegranate trees cv. Kandhari Kabuli under mid hill conditions of HP. Treatment consisted of five levels of Nitrogen fertilizer 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% along with 100% recommended dose of P and K through fertigation and conventional method of fertilizer application (with recommended dose of NPK) kept as control. Fertigation treatments had a promising effect over conventional method and treatment of 75% RD of N and RD of P and K through fertigation proved significant over other fertigation treatments and conventional method. Highest tree growth parameters, fruit set, fruit retention, average fruit weight and yield was recorded highest for 75% RD of N and RD of P and K through fertigation. Physico-chemical fruit characteristics viz. highest TSS, lower acidity, highest TSS acid ratio, highest sugars and ascorbic acid content (Vit. C) was also recorded for 75% RD of N and RD of P and K.

Nitrogen fixation of lablab and finger millet in South‐India

AbstractBackgroundIn a long‐term rotation experiment (2016–2022) with different nitrogen (N) fertilizer levels in subtropical South‐India, crop yields of low N plots were unexpectedly high. We therefore hypothesized that in the absence of mineral N application, these yields are largely due to N inputs by N2 fixation in the component crops. To assess the diazotrophic N2‐fixation of lablab (Lablab purpureus L. Sweet) and possible associative N2‐fixation of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn), a controlled experiment was conducted during the 2021 monsoon season within the above‐mentioned long‐term field study. Two approaches were used to estimate the quantity of N derived from the atmosphere (Ndfa): the dilution method using a 15N‐labeled fertilizer and the natural abundance method.MethodFor the 15N dilution method irrigated maize (Zea maize L.), finger millet and lablab were labeled with two split applications of 10% 15N fertilizer (50:50 15N‐urea and 15N‐ammonium sulfate) amounting to a total of 15 kg N ha−1. Maize was selected as the non‐fixing reference plant to estimate diazotrophic N2‐fixation. The entire aboveground biomass of the labeled plants was harvested at maturity and analyzed for total DM, N concentration, and the 15N isotope ratio.ResultsN2 fixation efficiency for lablab was 52%–69% depending on the calculation method, corresponding to 40–53 kg N ha−1. For finger millet, the natural abundance method resulted in an estimated N2‐fixation of 5 kg N ha−1, which was suggested by the results of the dilution method whereby the reference plant maize was only poorly labeled.ConclusionLabeling of maize might have been diluted due to unexpected associative N2‐fixation or N‐uptake from unlabeled deep soil N pools. The data underline the importance of symbiotic N2‐fixation in crop rotation systems of South‐India.

Effect of spraying Benzyl adenine (BA) and adding nitrogen fertilizer on yield of Avena sativa L.

The field experiment was conducted in the second agricultural research station located in the Al-Bandar area, which is affiliated with the College of Agriculture at Al-Muthanna University. This Study was conducted during the winter season 2022-2023 was conducted during the 2022-2023 winter agricultural season. The experiment investigated the relationship between two factors. The first factor is nitrogen, which was applied at four distinct four levels (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg N ha-1). After emergence, during the elongation stage, and at the Booting stage, nitrogen was applied in three separate batches. Benzyl adenine is the second factor examined in this study. Four Different concentrations of benzyl adenine were applied to the plant at 0, 100, 150, and 200 mg L-1. The benzyl adenine was applied in two Different concentration, with the first batch being applied during the elongation phase and the second batch being applied during the Booting phase. The application consisted of completely saturating the plant with a spray. The experiment was carried out with randomized complete block design using split plot with three replicates. The Main plots were sprayed with varied concentrations of benzyl adenine, while the Sub- plots received varying levels of nitrogen fertilization. The results showed Significant differences in the Nitrogen application, especially in the Significant of 120 kgN.ha-1 In the following characteristics (number of grains Per panicle, weight of 1,000 grains, grains yield, biological yield), it gave averages of 105.6 grains panicle-1 , 38.36 g, 6.27 ton ha-1, 25.41 ton ha-1), and at 40 kg N ha-1, it was greater than the number of panicle of 429.8 m2. The results also indicated significant effect in the spraying of Benzyl adenine and the highest average treatment of 200 mg L-1 (1,000 grain weight) and gave an average of 37.68 g The interaction between factors under study showed the combination (120 kg N ha-1 x 200 mg L-1 BA) gave averages of 41.49 g in grain weight.

Effects of Post-Anthesis Irrigation on the Activity of Starch Synthesis-Related Enzymes and Wheat Grain Quality under Different Nitrogen Conditions.

To develop optimal management strategies for water and nitrogen fertilizer application in winter wheat cultivation, we conducted a potted experiment to investigate the effects of different irrigation levels and nitrogen fertilizer treatments on the activity of starch synthesis-related enzymes and the grain quality of winter wheat. The potted experiment consisted of three irrigation levels, with the lower limits set at 50-55% (I0), 60-65% (I1), and 70-75% (I2) of the field capacity. In addition, four levels of nitrogen fertilizer were applied, denoted as N0 (0 kg N hm-2), N1 (120 kg N hm-2), N2 (240 kg N hm-2), and N3 (300 kg N hm-2), respectively. The results revealed the significant impacts of irrigation and nitrogen treatments on the activities of key starch-related enzymes, including adenosine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphrylase (ADPG-PPase), soluble starch synthase (SSS), granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS), and starch branching enzymes (SBE) in wheat grains. These treatments also influenced the starch content, amylopectin content, and, ultimately, wheat yield. In summary, our findings suggest that maintaining irrigation at a lower limit of 60% to 65% of the field capacity and applying nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 240 kg hm-2 is beneficial for achieving both high yield and high quality in winter wheat cultivation.

Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer and planting density levels for maize production under current climate conditions in Northwest Ethiopian midlands

Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer and planting density levels for maize production under current climate conditions in Northwest Ethiopian midlands

Economic Evaluation of Nitrogen Fertilization Levels in Beef Cattle Production: Implications for Sustainable Tropical Pasture Management

Understanding economic scenarios is crucial in all production chains. Tropical pastures are Brazil’s primary food source for beef cattle production, and current pasture management is not ideal due to land degradation. An economic evaluation assists farmers with improving pasture management using novel techniques, such as nitrogen (N) fertilization, which is straightforward and practical. The economic effects of different N fertilizer levels in beef cattle production were evaluated. This study was conducted over three years (2014/2015, 2015/2016, and 2016/2017) using four concentrations of urea fertilizer (0, 90, 180, and 270 kg N/ha). A principal component analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed using financial data. A financial pattern was observed, with increases in some variables, such as cost-effective operating and cost-total operating from those measuring costs and gross revenue, operating profit, and net income from those estimating revenues. Treatment with 180 kg N/ha fertilizer resulted in increased profitability, payback, internal rate of return, and net present value (at 6% and 12% tax) of 17.76%, 2.79 years, 35.79%, and USD 5926.03 and USD 1854.35, respectively. For this study, the main costs associated with profitability were supplementation, animal purchases, and sale prices. The best treatment to achieve excellent grazing pressure in tropical areas with oxisol is 180 kg/ha per year.