In‐Season Nitrogen Management to Increase Grain Yields in Maize Production

Post-silking N accumulation positively correlates with maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield in production, but the effect of N management post-silking is unclear. This study was to evaluate maize yield and physiological changes in response to in-season nitrogen management (INM) with respect to post-silking N fertilization of maize. Optimal nitrogen rates (ONR) were determined for INM by subtracting soil nitrate-N content measured at the maize root layers from the target N value. Other treatments included a zero N (0N) post-silking control with the same N application pre-silking as ONR and excessive N treatment (Exc. N) with the same N application pre-silking as ONR plus an additional application of 50% of the target N value post-silking. The grain yield with ONR of the INM was 10.9 Mg ha–¹, 17% higher than the 9.3 Mg ha–¹ obtained with the 0N control post-silking. The Exc. N treatment post-silking did not increase maize yield, but resulted in a high residual soil Nₘᵢₙ after harvest. The high grain yield obtained with ONR showed markedly higher dry matter (DM) production and N accumulation post-silking, with higher net photosynthesis and green leaf area than obtained with the 0N control post-silking. Additional N application post-silking also improved root development, as evidenced by the 18, 20, and 9% increase in root dry matter, root length, and root surface area densities for ONR compared to the 0N control. Results suggested that INM can synchronize soil N supply and plant N uptake throughout the growing season, thereby increasing maize grain yield.

[1]  S. Yue,et al.  An Understanding of the Accumulation of Biomass and Nitrogen is Benefit for Chinese Maize Production , 2016 .

[2]  T. Vyn,et al.  Maize Plant Resilience to N Stress and Post-silking N Capacity Changes over Time: A Review , 2016, Front. Plant Sci..

[3]  P. White,et al.  Maize Varieties Released in Different Eras Have Similar Root Length Density Distributions in the Soil, Which Are Negatively Correlated with Local Concentrations of Soil Mineral Nitrogen , 2015, PloS one.

[4]  Jianliang Huang,et al.  Producing more grain with lower environmental costs , 2014, Nature.

[5]  S. Yue,et al.  Effects of nitrogen management on root morphology and zinc translocation from root to shoot of winter wheat in the field , 2014 .

[6]  F. Fritschi,et al.  Diurnal dynamics of maize leaf photosynthesis and carbohydrate concentrations in response to differential N availability , 2014 .

[7]  Y. Gan,et al.  Increased maize yield using slow-release attapulgite-coated fertilizers , 2014, Agronomy for Sustainable Development.

[8]  Yanhai Zheng,et al.  Responses of photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, and grain yield of maize to controlled-release urea and irrigation after anthesis , 2013 .

[9]  Jonathan P Lynch,et al.  Steep, cheap and deep: an ideotype to optimize water and N acquisition by maize root systems. , 2013, Annals of botany.

[10]  Peter Vitousek,et al.  Chinese agriculture: An experiment for the world , 2013, Nature.

[11]  I. Ciampitti,et al.  Physiological perspectives of changes over time in maize yield dependency on nitrogen uptake and associated nitrogen efficiencies: A review , 2012 .

[12]  S. Yue,et al.  In-Season Root-Zone Nitrogen Management Strategies for Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in High-Yielding Maize Production in China , 2012 .

[13]  Chunjian Li,et al.  Temporal and Spatial Profiling of Root Growth Revealed Novel Response of Maize Roots under Various Nitrogen Supplies in the Field , 2012, PloS one.

[14]  M. Bänziger,et al.  Nitrogen efficiency as related to dry matter partitioning and root system size in tropical mid-altitude maize hybrids under different levels of nitrogen stress , 2012 .

[15]  D. Tilman,et al.  Global food demand and the sustainable intensification of agriculture , 2011, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[16]  Pamela A. Matson,et al.  Integrated soil–crop system management for food security , 2011, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[17]  Matthijs Tollenaar,et al.  Strategies for Enhancing Grain Yield in Maize , 2011 .

[18]  Fusuo Zhang,et al.  Ideotype root architecture for efficient nitrogen acquisition by maize in intensive cropping systems , 2010, Science China Life Sciences.

[19]  Xin-ping Chen,et al.  Current Nitrogen Management Status and Measures to Improve the Intensive Wheat–Maize System in China , 2010, AMBIO.

[20]  Z. Cui,et al.  Optimizing Soil Nitrogen Supply in the Root Zone to Improve Maize Management , 2010 .

[21]  Fusuo Zhang,et al.  Changes in root length at the reproductive stage of maize plants grown in the field and quartz sand , 2010 .

[22]  Fusuo Zhang,et al.  In-season nitrogen management strategy for winter wheat: Maximizing yields, minimizing environmental impact in an over-fertilization context , 2010 .

[23]  Fei Li,et al.  Interaction between genotypic difference and nitrogen management strategy in determining nitrogen use efficiency of summer maize , 2009, Plant and Soil.

[24]  Matthijs Tollenaar,et al.  The Response of Leaf Photosynthesis and Dry Matter Accumulation to Nitrogen Supply in an Older and a Newer Maize Hybrid , 2008 .

[25]  Yuxin Miao,et al.  On-farm evaluation of an in-season nitrogen management strategy based on soil Nmin test , 2008 .

[26]  Hailin Zhang,et al.  Fertilization and Nitrogen Balance in a Wheat–Maize Rotation System in North China , 2006 .

[27]  P. Abbate,et al.  Kernel weight and its response to source manipulations during grain filling in Argentinean maize hybrids released in different decades , 2006 .

[28]  P. Wang,et al.  Synchronizing N Supply from Soil and Fertilizer and N Demand of Winter Wheat by an Improved Nmin Method , 2006, Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems.

[29]  U. Schmidhalter.  Development of a quick on-farm test to determine nitrate levels in soil , 2005 .

[30]  A. Dobermann,et al.  Agroecosystems, Nitrogen-use Efficiency, and Nitrogen Management , 2002, Ambio.

[31]  María E. Otegui,et al.  Maize Kernel Weight Response to Postflowering Source–Sink Ratio , 2001 .

[32]  M. Tollenaar,et al.  Source : sink ratio and leaf senescence in maize:: II. Nitrogen metabolism during grain filling , 1999 .

[33]  M. Tollenaar,et al.  Source : sink ratio and leaf senescence in maize:: I. Dry matter accumulation and partitioning during grain filling , 1999 .

[34]  Matthijs Tollenaar,et al.  Radiation Use Efficiency of an Old and a New Maize Hybrid , 1992 .

[35]  W. Horwitz.  Official Methods of Analysis , 1980 .

[36]  S. R. Olsen,et al.  Estimation of available phosphorus in soils by extraction with sodium bicarbonate , 1954 .

[37]  A. Walkley,et al.  AN EXAMINATION OF THE DEGTJAREFF METHOD FOR DETERMINING SOIL ORGANIC MATTER, AND A PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF THE CHROMIC ACID TITRATION METHOD , 1934 .