Fertilizer N response and canola yield in the semiarid Canadian prairies

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 501-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Cutforth ◽  
B. McConkey ◽  
S. Brandt ◽  
Y. Gan ◽  
G. Lafond ◽  
...  

Canola is a viable crop when grown under fallow in the semiarid prairie, but is also grown in longer rotations, most often no-till seeded into standing stubble. Selecting the proper N fertilizer rate is a very challenging production decision, but most of the available nitrogen response for canola has been derived for the more subhumid parts of the Canadian prairies. We developed simple quadratic equations to describe the yield relationship for stubble-seeded open-pollinated and hybrid canola in the semiarid Canadian prairie. These relationships indicate that hybrid canola produced higher grain yields at all fertilizer rates and had optimum N fertilizer rates about 50% higher than those for open-pollinated canola. Key words: Canola, fertilizer N, grain yield, water use, semiarid prairie

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (7) ◽  
pp. 1389-1401
Author(s):  
R. E. Karamanos ◽  
F. Selles ◽  
D. C. James ◽  
F. C. Stevenson

Karamanos, R. E., Selles, F., James, D. C. and Stevenson, F. C. 2012. Nitrogen management of fallow crops in Canadian prairie soils. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1389–1401. The ability of fallow to supply nitrogen (N) to crops has been questioned, particularly for crops with greater N requirements. A study was conducted to determine canola (Brassica napus L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) responses to a range of N fertilizer rates (0–75 kg N ha−1 for canola and 0–50 kg N ha−1 for wheat) at 17 fallow sites across Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada, from 2003 to 2005. Yield and N uptake responses to progressively greater N fertilizer rates were curvilinear for both crops. Maximum yield occurred with 76 kg N ha−1 for canola yield (2190 kg ha−1) and 47 kg N ha−1 for wheat (2910 kg ha−1). Maximum N uptake occurred at about 90 kg N ha−1 for both crops. Wheat grain yield and N uptake responses were mostly associated with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) at anthesis or flag leaf, whereas canola yields and N uptake were most associated with NDVI at five-leaf or bolting, or Cardy Nitrate meter at bolting. The preceding relationships were most apparent at the highest N fertilizer rates. Canola and wheat water use were not affected by N fertilizer rate, but water use efficiency increased linearly for both crops as N fertilizer rate was increased.


2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 1641-1650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Telmo Jorge Carneiro Amado ◽  
Enrique Oswin Hahn Villalba ◽  
Rafael Pivotto Bortolotto ◽  
Antônio Luis Santi ◽  
Enrique Asterio Benítez León ◽  
...  

In order to select soil management practices that increase the nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) in agro-ecosystems, the different indices of agronomic fertilizer efficiency must be evaluated under varied weather conditions. This study assessed the NUE indices in no-till corn in southern Paraguay. Nitrogen fertilizer rates from 0 to 180 kg ha-1 were applied in a single application at corn sowing and the crop response investigated in two growing seasons (2010 and 2011). The experimental design was a randomized block with three replications. Based on the data of grain yield, dry matter, and N uptake, the following fertilizer indices were assessed: agronomic N-use efficiency (ANE), apparent N recovery efficiency (NRE), N physiological efficiency (NPE), partial factor productivity (PFP), and partial nutrient balance (PNB). The weather conditions varied largely during the experimental period; the rainfall distribution was favorable for crop growth in the first season and unfavorable in the second. The PFP and ANE indices, as expected, decreased with increasing N fertilizer rates. A general analysis of the N fertilizer indices in the first season showed that the maximum rate (180 kg ha-1) obtained the highest corn yield and also optimized the efficiency of NPE, NRE and ANE. In the second season, under water stress, the most efficient N fertilizer rate (60 kg ha-1) was three times lower than in the first season, indicating a strong influence of weather conditions on NUE. Considering that weather instability is typical for southern Paraguay, anticipated full N fertilization at corn sowing is not recommended due the temporal variability of the optimum N fertilizer rate needed to achieve high ANE.


2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 203-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Ziadi ◽  
R. R. Simard ◽  
G. Allard ◽  
G. Parent

Soil N availability is an important factor in forage grass production. Maximising N fertilizer efficiency is essential to improve profitability and to reduce the environmental risk associated with residual excess soil N. The objectives of this study were (i): to determine the effects of N fertilizer on yield, N uptake and NO3–N concentration of forage grasses produced in Western Quebec; and (ii) to compare spring soil NO3−measured by anionic exchange membranes (NO3AEMs) and by water extraction (NO3w) as a criterion to predict fertilizer N requirements of forage grasses. The yield response of grasses, especially timothy (Phleum pratense L.), to different rates of NH4NO3 (0 to 240 kg N ha−1) on heavy clay soils (Humic Gleysols) was studied from 1994 to 1996 at four sites in the Abitibi-Temiscamingue area, Quebec (Canada). Nitrogen significantly (P < 0.001) increased forage yield, N uptake, and NO3–N concentration. The economically optimum N fertilizer rate (Nop) for forage yield varied from 25 to 240 kg N ha−1 depending on sites and years, and averaged 125 kg N ha−1. The Nop can be predicted more adequately by NO3AEMs (R2 = 0.45) than by NO3w (R2 = 0.09). Based only on the relationship between the relative yield and spring soil nitrate, NO3AEMs could be used as a criterion for fertilizer N recommendation of forage grasses in this cool continental climate. Key words: N fertilizer, nitrate, grass, economically optimum N fertilizer rate


HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 1722-1727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clinton C. Shock ◽  
Erik B. G. Feibert ◽  
Lamont D. Saunders

Onion (Allium cepa L.) production in the Treasure Valley of eastern Oregon and southwestern Idaho has been based on furrow irrigation with 318 kg·ha-1 N fertilizer and average yields of 70 Mg·ha-1, but these practices have been implicated in nitrate contamination of groundwater. Drip irrigation, introduced in the early 1990s, has several advantages, including reduced leaching losses. Since onion plant populations and N fertilizer rates can affect economic returns, studies were conducted in 1999, 2000, and 2001 to determine optimum plant populations and N fertilizer rates for subsurface drip-irrigated onion. Long-day onion (`Vision') was subjected to a combination of seven nitrogen fertilization rates (0 to 336 kg·ha-1 in 56-kg increments applied between late May and early July) and four plant populations (185, 250, 300, and 370 thousand plants/ha). Onion was grown on silt loam in two double rows spaced 0.56 m apart on 1.1 m beds with a drip tape buried 13 cm deep in the bed center. Soil water potential was maintained nearly constant at -20 kPa by automated irrigations based on soil water potential measurements at a 0.2-m depth. Onion bulbs were evaluated for yield and grade after 70 days of storage. Onion yield and grade were highly responsive to plant population. Onion marketable yield increased, and bulb diameter decreased with increasing plant population. Within the range of plant populations tested, gross returns were not always responsive to plant population. Returns were increased by the increase in marketable yield obtained with higher plant population, but higher plant population also reduced the production of the largest sized bulbs which had the highest value per weight. Onion yielded 95 Mg·ha-1 with no applied N fertilizer, averaged over plant populations and years. Onion yield and grade were not responsive to N fertilizer rate or interaction of N fertilizer rate with plant population. Preplant soil available N, N mineralization, and N in irrigation water all contributed N to the crop. Onion N uptake did not increase with increasing N fertilizer rate.


2014 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. E. May ◽  
M. R. Fernandez ◽  
F. Selles ◽  
G. P. Lafond

May, W. E., Fernandez, M. R., Selles, F. and Lafond G. P. 2014. Agronomic practices to reduce leaf spotting and Fusarium kernel infections in durum wheat on the Canadian prairies. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 141–152. Fusarium head blight (FHB) has become an important disease of durum wheat [Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum (Desf.) Husn] in the humid and sub-humid regions of the prairies along with leaf spots, black point and red smudge. Together, they contribute to lower grain yields and grain quality. The study objective was to determine the effect of seeding rate, nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate, fungicidal treatment, and cultivar on disease severity, crop development, grain yield and quality in durum. A four-way factorial design was used with two seeding rates (150 and 300 viable seeds m−2), two N rates (75 and 100% of recommended rate), three cultivars (AC Avonlea, AC Morse and AC Navigator), four fungicide treatments (no application, propiconazole at flag leaf, tebuconazole at anthesis, and propiconazole at flag leaf followed by tebuconazole at anthesis) and three locations (two in Saskatchewan and one in Manitoba) from 2001 to 2003. There were no interactions among fungicide, seeding rate, N fertilizer and cultivar for all measured variables. Foliar fungicide treatments resulted in greater kernel weight, grain yield and test weight than the no-fungicide treatment. The application of tebuconazole at anthesis did not reduce the amount of FDK in the harvested grain. The application of a fungicide increased the percentage of kernels infected by black point from 0.38% to over 0.50% and red smudge from 0.54 to 0.61%. Two fungicide applications increased red smudge to 0.85%. Grain yield increased by 2.4% when the seeding rate was increased from 150 to 300 plants m−2. Increasing N fertilizer rate increased grain yield by 5.2%, protein concentration by 5.4% and hard vitreous kernels (HVK) by 2.6%, but decreased test weight by 0.5%. Cultivar selection had the largest effect on FDK. In conclusion, effects of a fungicide application on durum wheat did not interact with selection of seeding rates, cultivars or N rates used in this study.


2014 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. McKenzie ◽  
E. Bremer ◽  
A. B. Middleton ◽  
B. Beres ◽  
C. Yoder ◽  
...  

McKenzie, R. H., Bremer, E., Middleton, A. B., Beres, B., Yoder, C., Hietamaa, C., Pfiffner, P., Kereliuk, G., Pauly, D. and Henriquez, B. 2014. Agronomic practices for bioethanol production from spring triticale in Alberta. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 15–22. Triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) is an attractive crop for biofuel production due to its high grain yield potential, weed competitiveness, and drought tolerance. Field plot studies were conducted at seven locations across Alberta from 2008 to 2010 to determine optimum agronomic practices (seeding date, seeding rate and N fertilizer rate) for grain and starch production of spring triticale. The yield penalty from delayed seeding was variable, with an average yield decline of only 0.1% per day. Significant yield benefits from increasing seeding rates from 100 to 500 viable seeds m−2 were obtained at site-years with more than 200 mm of growing season precipitation, but were inconsistent or negligible at site-years with less than 200 mm of growing season precipitation. Optimum N fertilizer rates for grain production increased with growing season precipitation, but were not correlated with pre-seeding soil extractable NO3-N levels. Starch concentrations were either unaffected or only slightly affected by seeding date, seeding rate or N fertilizer rate. Thus, agronomic practices that were optimum for triticale grain production were also optimum for starch production. Under good growing conditions, grain production of spring triticale was optimum when seeded at 350 to 450 seeds m−2 and N fertilizer rates of 90 to 150 kg N ha−1.


2018 ◽  
Vol 156 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Enriquez-Hidalgo ◽  
T. J. Gilliland ◽  
M. Egan ◽  
D. Hennessy

AbstractA 4-year (2010–2013) plot study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate (0, 60, 120, 196 and 240 kg N/ha/year) on seasonal responses and species persistency in frequently and tightly grazed (⩽4 cm) grass-only (GO) and grass white clover swards (GWc). Increasing N application rate increased herbage removed and pre-grazing sward height. Cows frequently grazed the GWc tighter than the GO. Increasing N rate reduced clover content, especially during the warmest months of the year, but less so up to 120 kg N/ha/year. The GWc had greater amounts of herbage removed than GO in the May–September period but the effect was less as N rate increased. Cumulative herbage removed from GWc was greater than GO swards receiving the same N rate and herbage quality was better in GWc than GO. Such effects were reduced as swards aged and with increasing N rate. It was concluded that under frequent and tight grazing management: (1) clover inclusion increased annual herbage removed; (2) herbage removed from GWc swards receiving no N was the same as the GO sward receiving 240 kg N/ha, and greater for the 240 GWc swards than the 240 GO swards; (3) clover inclusion benefits were mainly from summer onwards; (4) the management strategy applied in the current experiment may be capable of alleviating the detrimental effect of N fertilizer on clover, to a point between 60 and 120 kg N/ha.


2021 ◽  
Vol 182 ◽  
pp. 105997
Author(s):  
Davide Cammarano ◽  
Bruno Basso ◽  
Jonathan Holland ◽  
Alberto Gianinetti ◽  
Marina Baronchelli ◽  
...  

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 395
Author(s):  
Alex J. Lindsey ◽  
Adam W. Thoms ◽  
Marshall D. McDaniel ◽  
Nick E. Christians

Soil health and sustainable management practices have garnered much interest within the turfgrass industry. Among the many practices that enhance soil health and sustainability are applying soil additives to enhance soil biological activity and reducing nitrogen (N) inputs—complimentary practices. A two-year study was conducted to investigate if reduced N fertilizer rates applied with humic substances could provide comparable turfgrass quality as full N rates, and whether humic fertilizers would increase biological aspects of soil health (i.e., microbial biomass and activity). Treatments included synthetic fertilizer with black gypsum (SFBG), poly-coated humic-coated urea (PCHCU; two rates), urea + humic dispersing granules (HDG; two rates), urea, stabilized nitrogen, HDG, and a nontreated control. Reduced rates of N with humic substances maintained turfgrass quality and cover, and reduced clipping biomass compared to full N rates. There were no differences in soil physical and chemical properties besides soil sulfur (S) concentration. SFBG resulted in the highest soil S concentration. Fertilizer treatments had minimal effect on microbial biomass and other plant-available nutrients. However, PCHCU (full rate) increased potentially mineralizable carbon (PMC) and N (PMN) by 68% and 59%, respectively, compared to the nontreated control. Meanwhile SFBG and stabilized nitrogen also increased PMC and PMN by 77% and 50%, and 65% and 59%, respectively. Overall, applications of reduced N fertilizer rates with the addition of humic substances could be incorporated into a more sustainable and environmentally friendly turfgrass fertilizer program.


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