Nitrogen loss on tile-drained Mollisols as affected by nitrogen application rate under continuous corn and corn-soybean rotation systems

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 493-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.J. Helmers ◽  
X. Zhou ◽  
J.L. Baker ◽  
S.W. Melvin ◽  
D.W. Lemke

Helmers, M. J., Zhou, X., Baker, J. L., Melvin, S. W. and Lemke, D. W. 2012. Nitrogen loss on tile-drained Mollisols as affected by nitrogen application rate under continuous corn and corn-soybean rotation systems. Can. J. Soil Sci. 92: 493–499. Nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) loss from production agricultural systems through subsurface drainage networks is of local and regional concern throughout the Midwestern United States. The increased corn acreage and the practice of growing continuous corn instead of a corn-soybean rotation system due to the increasing demand for food and energy have raised questions about the environmental impacts of this shift in cropping systems. The objective of this 4-yr (1990–1993) study was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen (N) application rate (0–168 kg N ha−1 for corn following soybean and 0–224 kg N ha−1 for corn following corn) on NO3-N concentration, NO3-N losses, and crop yields in continuous corn and corn-soybean production systems on tile-drained Mollisols in north central Iowa. The results show that NO3-N concentrations from the continuous corn system were similar to NO3-N concentrations from the corn-soybean rotation at equivalent N application rates.When extra N fertilizer (approximately 56 kg N ha−1) was applied to continuous corn than the corn-soybean rotation, this resulted in 14–36% greater NO3-N concentrations in subsurface drainage from the continuous corn system. While corn yield increased as N application rate increased, corn yields at the recommended N application rates (112–168 kg N ha−1) in the corn-soybean rotation were up to 3145 kg ha−1 greater than corn yields at the recommended application rates (168–224 kg N ha−1) in the continuous corn system. The corn-soybean rotation with recommended N application rates (168–224 kg N ha−1) appeared to be beneficial environmentally and economically.

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 509B-509
Author(s):  
Robert H. Stamps

One of the most difficult times to balance crop nitrogen (N) requirements with concerns about nitrate-N leaching occurs during crop establishment, when root systems are poorly developed and not widely distributed in the growing medium. This dilemma can be exacerbated when producing a slow-growing plant such as leatherleaf fern (Rumohra adiantiformis [Forst.] Ching) on sandy soils in shadehouses in areas with significant rainfall. Rhizomes were planted in 36 drainage lysimeters containing Tavares fine sand located in a shadehouse. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied at nine rates using liquid and/or controlled-release fertilizer. Nitrogen application rates were varied as the rhizomes became established and spread into unplanted areas of the lysimeters. Irrigation and rainfall were monitored and the amount of water not lost to evapotranspiration was determined. Nitrogen (ammoniacal, nitrate/nitrite, total Kjeldahl) concentrations in leachate collected below the rootzone were determined. Stipe sap nitrate and frond total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) were determined to try to develop a production monitoring technique. Initially, only leachate samples from controlled-release fertilizer plots treated at 21 and 42 kg of N/ha per year and liquid fertilizer at 28 kg of N/ha per year were consistently below the maximum contamination level (MCL) of 10 mg·L–1. As the fern became established, leachate nitrate/nitrite-N concentrations from higher N application rate treatments also remained below the MCL. Leachate N concentrations decreased as rainfall increased. Fern growth increased with increasing N application rate. Stipe sap nitrate-N and frond TKN concentrations were not well-correlated during establishment.


Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiyong Xia ◽  
Weilin Kong ◽  
Lan Wang ◽  
Yanhui Xue ◽  
Wenlong Liu ◽  
...  

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a global nutritional problem that is reduced through agronomic biofortification. In the current study, the effects of foliar spraying of exogenous ZnSO4·7H2O (0.2% in Quzhou and 0.3% in Licheng, w/v) and/or sucrose (10.0%, w/v) on maize (Zea mays L.) agronomic traits; concentrations of Zn, iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), total phosphorus (P), phytic acid (PA) P, carbon (C), and nitrogen (N); C/N ratios; and Zn and Fe bioavailability (as evaluated by molar ratios of PA/Zn, PA × Ca/Zn, PA/Fe and PA × Ca/Fe) in maize grains were studied under field conditions for two years at two experimental locations. The results confirmed that there were no significant differences in maize agronomic traits following the various foliar treatments. Compared with the control treatment of foliar spraying with deionized water, foliar applications of Zn alone or combined with sucrose significantly increased maize grain Zn concentrations by 29.2–58.3% in Quzhou (from 18.4–19.9 to 25.2–29.6 mg/kg) and by 39.8–47.8% in Licheng (from 24.9 to 34.8–36.8 mg/kg), as well as its bioavailability. No significant differences were found between the foliar spraying of deionized water and sucrose, and between Zn-only and “sucrose + Zn” at each N application rate and across different N application rates and experimental sites. Similar results were observed for maize grain Fe concentrations and bioavailability, but the Fe concentration increased to a smaller extent than Zn. Foliar Zn spraying alone or with sucrose increased maize grain Fe concentrations by 4.7–28.4% in Quzhou (from 13.4–17.1 to 15.2–18.5 mg/kg) and by 15.4–25.0% in Licheng (from 24.0 to 27.7–30.0 mg/kg). Iron concentrations were significantly and positively correlated with Zn at each N application rate and across different N application rates and experimental locations, indicating that foliar Zn spraying facilitated the transport of endogenous Fe to maize grains. Therefore, foliar Zn spraying increased the Zn concentration and bioavailability in maize grains irrespective of foliar sucrose supply while also improving Fe concentrations and bioavailability to some extent. This is a promising agricultural practice for simultaneous Zn and Fe biofortification in maize grains, i.e., “killing two birds with one stone”.


1993 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 178-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Francis ◽  
Dennis R. Decoteau

Southernpea and sweet corn can be intercropped effectively. When simultaneously planted, sweet corn appears to be the dominant crop in the mixture, with intercropped southernpea producing a supplemental yield to intercropped sweet corn. Increasing intercrop plant densities increased the amount of sweet corn yield and reduced the amount of southernpea yield. The reduction in light intercepted by southernpea and sweet corn in the intercrop situation probably contributed to the reduction in yield by these component crops as compared to the yield of these crops as monocrops. The total system LER (LERsouthernpea + LERsweetcorn) for the high-population intercropping system, where plant densities for each crop were comparable to the densities of these crops as monocrops, was 1.26. This suggests that intercropping southernpea and sweet corn at this density gave a yield advantage of 26%, or that 26% more land planted in equal proportion of each component crop would be required to produce the same yield as the intercrop. A N application rate of 125 lb/acre (140 kg·ha-1) was optimum for intercropped sweet corn, and there was no advantage of a 2-week delayed planting of sweet corn in this intercrop system.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 2219
Author(s):  
Saadi Sattar Shahadha ◽  
Ole Wendroth ◽  
Dianyuan Ding

Nitrogen (N) fertilization is critical for crop growth; however, its effect on crop growth and evapotranspiration (ETc) behaviors under different amounts of rainfall is not well understood. As such, there is a need for studying the impact of nitrogen application rates and rainfall amounts on crop growth and ETc components. Agricultural system models help to fill this knowledge gap, e.g., the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM2), which integrates crop growth-related processes. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the nitrogen application rate on crop growth, soil water dynamics, and ETc behavior under different rainfall amounts by using experimental data and the RZWQM2. A field study was conducted from 2016 to 2019 with three nitrogen application rates (0, 70 and 130 kg N ha−1) for unirrigated winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and two nitrogen application rates (0 and 205 kg N ha−1) for unirrigated corn (Zea mays L.). For the period of 1986–2019, the amounts of actual rainfall during each crop growth period are categorized into four groups. Each rainfall group is used as a rainfall scenario in the RZWQM2 to explore the interactions between the rainfall amounts and N levels on the resulting crop growth and water status. The results show that the model satisfactorily captures the interaction effects of nitrogen application rates and rainfall amounts on the daily ETc and soil water dynamics. The nitrogen application rate showed a noticeable impact on the behavior of soil water dynamics and ETc components. The 75% rainfall scenario yielded the highest nitrogen uptake for both crops. This scenario revealed the highest water consumption for wheat, while corn showed the highest water uptake for the 100% rainfall scenario. The interaction between a high nitrogen level and 50% rainfall yielded the highest water use efficiency, while low nitrogen and 125% rainfall yielded the highest nitrogen use efficiency. A zero nitrogen rate yielded the highest ETc and lowest soil water content among all treatments. Moreover, the impacts of the nitrogen application rate on ETc behavior, crop growth, and soil water dynamics differed depending on the received rainfall amount.


2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lihua Huang ◽  
Zhengwei Liang ◽  
Donald L. Suarez ◽  
Zhichun Wang ◽  
Mingming Wang

The effect of nitrogen (N) application on seed yields and yield components in Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel., a perennial rhizomatous grass, was measured in a field experiment with two saline-sodic soils at Da’an Sodic Land Experiment Station during 2010–11. Two grassland field sites were classified as moderately saline–sodic (MSSL) and severely saline–sodic (SSSL). Application rates of N at each site were 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 and 210 kg ha–1. Application of N significantly improved seed yield mainly through increased spike number (R2 = 0.96, P ≤ 0.001). Compared with nil N, seed yield increased 7.4–10.9 times with N application of 150 kg ha–1 at MSSL, and 5.3–7.5 times with N application of 120 kg ha–1 at SSSL. However, absolute increases at SSSL were relatively small. Some significant differences (P ≤ 0.01) in seed yield occurred between 2010 and 2011 with different N application rates in the same soil, and between MSSL and SSSL in the same year. Increasing N application rate significantly decreased N physiological efficiency (NPE) but increased N apparent-recovery fraction (NRF) and N partial-factor productivity (NPP) at both sites. Seed yield and NPP indicated that the optimal N application rates to increase yield were 150 kg ha–1 at MSSL and 120 kg ha–1 at SSSL. High soil pH was the major factor adversely impacting seed yield, and pH and soil salinity were major factors negative affecting NPE, NRF and NPP as well as decreasing the positive effect of N application. Nitrogen application is a practical and effective method to increase seed yield of L. chinensis in saline-sodic grasslands of Northeast China, particularly when soil pH and salinity are not limiting.


1976 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 335-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Marsh ◽  
F. J. Gordon ◽  
J. C. Murdoch ◽  
W. E. G. Stevenson

SummaryThe effect of season of harvest and previous seasonal applications of fertilizer N on the response of perennial ryegrass/white clover swards to pre-cut applications of fertilizer N was studied in three consecutive years on different sites. Herbage D.M. yield responded in a curvilinear manner to increased pre-cut N application rates. There was a tendency in all experiments for the marginal response of herbage D.M. to increased pre-cut N application rates to decrease as previous seasonal fertilizer N application rates increased. Although the effect of season of harvest on the response of herbage D.M. to pre-cut N application rates varied with site/years, it was concluded that the marginal response of herbage D.M. to pre-cut N application rate varies little throughout the greater part of the growing season. The exceptions to this are the very early and late harvests and swards that receive low supplies of N from the sward/soil complex. The results are discussed in relation to other published data and to their possible use in the control of the seasonal pattern and total seasonal supply of herbage D.M. for rotational grazing management systems.


2014 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 563-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amal K. Roy ◽  
Claudia Wagner-Riddle ◽  
Bill Deen ◽  
John Lauzon ◽  
Tom Bruulsema

Roy, A. K., Wagner-Riddle, C., Deen, B., Lauzon, J. and Bruulsema, T. 2014. Nitrogen application rate, timing and history effects on nitrous oxide emissions from corn (Zea mays L.). Can. J. Soil Sci. 94: 563–573. Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions resulting from application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer contribute to the greenhouse gas footprint of corn production. In eastern Canada, corn is a major crop with most N fertilizer applied pre- or at planting. This timing of application results in a lack of synchrony of soil N supply and crop N demand. Matching the amount and timing of application to crop uptake has been suggested as a mitigation measure to reduce N losses, and is an integral part of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship program. This study examined the effect of timing, rate and history of urea-ammonium nitrate application on N2O emissions in corn in 2011 and 2012 at Elora, ON, Canada. Treatments were three N rates (30, 145 and 218 kg N ha−1); two timings (N injected in mid-row at planting and at the 8th leaf stage, V8); two histories (short-term: applying N rate treatments on plots that had received 145 kg N ha−1in the previous year, and long-term: applying the same N rate to a given plot over the duration of the trial). N2O emissions were measured using static chambers. History of N application did not have an effect on N2O emissions or grain yield. In both years, cumulative N2O emissions during the growing season and corn yields increased significantly with increasing N application rates. In 2011, cumulative N2O emissions were significantly lower when N was applied as side-dress at V8 (0.88 kg N ha−1) compared with planting (2.12 kg N ha−1), with no significant impact on corn grain yield (average 9.1 Mg ha−1). In contrast, in 2012, limited rainfall reduced both N2O emissions and corn grain yield, and neither N2O emission (average 0.17 kg N ha−1) nor grain yield (average 6.7 Mg ha−1) was affected by timing of N application. Applying N as side-dress at V8 instead of at planting and using the recommended N rate were shown to be effective N2O emission mitigation practices without affecting corn yield during a typical wet spring in Ontario.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 171
Author(s):  
Tao Sun ◽  
Xin Yang ◽  
Xiaoli Tan ◽  
Kefeng Han ◽  
Sheng Tang ◽  
...  

Previous studies have revealed that the japonica/indica hybrid rice has a higher yield potential, biomass production, and nitrogen (N) accumulation than japonica rice in China, however, at a single N application rate. It remains unclear whether it also occurs at a higher or lower N application rate under the same field condition. To investigate the effects of nitrogen application rates on grain yield, N uptake, dry matter accumulation, and agronomic N use efficiency, field experiments were conducted in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province during three consecutive growth seasons in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Two japonica/indica hybrid varieties (Yongyou 12 and Yongyou 538) and two japonica varieties (Xiushui 134 and Jia 58) were exposed to five N application rates (0, 150, 225, 300, and 375 kg ha−1). The results showed that grain yields of all the varieties increased with increasing nitrogen application rates, except for Jia 58 whose optimum nitrogen level was 225 kg ha−1, because no significant difference was observed between N225 and N300. Across the four rice varieties, N uptake increased significantly with increased N-fertilizer rates at all the growth stages (p < 0.05). Across the three planting years, the average grain yield of japonica/indica hybrid rice was higher than that of japonica rice by 75.6% at N0, 57.2% at N150, 41.1% at N225, 38.3% at N300, and 45.8% at N375. We also found that as compared with japonica rice, the japonica/indica hybrid rice had more grain yield, higher dry matter, and higher N uptake at all growth stages, regardless of the N application rate.


2001 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 682-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.L. Hatfield ◽  
J.H. Prueger

Nitrogen (N) loss from agricultural systems raises concerns about the potential impact of farming practices on environmental quality. N is a critical input to agricultural production. However, there is little understanding of the interactions among crop water use, N application rates, and soil types. This study was designed to quantify these interactions in corn (Zea mays L.) grown in production-size fields in central Iowa on the Clarion-Nicollet-Webster soil association. Seasonal water use varied by soil type and N application rate. Yield varied with N application rate, with the highest average yield obtained at 100 kg ha-1. N use efficiency (NUE) decreased with increasing N application rates, having values around 50%. Water use efficiency (WUE) decreased as N fertilizer rates increased. Analysis of plant growth patterns showed that in the low organic matter soils (lower water-holding capacities), potential yield was not achieved because of water deficits during the grain-filling period. Using precipitation data coupled with daily water use throughout the season, lower organic matter soils showed these soils began to drain earlier in the spring and continued to drain more water throughout the season. The low NUE in these soils together with increased drainage lead to greater N loss from these soils. Improved management decisions have shown that it is possible to couple water use patterns with N application to increase both WUE and NUE.


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