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Nitrogen uptake and redistribution during maturation of maize hybrids
Author(s) -
Tsai C Y,
Huber D M,
Warren H L,
Lyznik A
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740570204
Subject(s) - hybrid , agronomy , nutrient , biology , crop , zea mays , growing season , ecology
Nutrient efficiency, as a component of crop production efficiency, is a major key to agricultural competitiveness and sustainability. This study was initiated to evaluate the efficiency of N uptake and redistribution of eight maize (Zea mays L) hybrids differing in yield potential and grown with different levels of N fertiliser. Plants were sampled during the growing season to determine N uptake kinetics and effects of N supply on protein degradation and N mobilisation from vegetative tissues. These studies indicate that, under adequate N fertiliser conditions, hybrids took up about 2.5 to 3.0 g N per plant by the mid‐silk stage; however, the amount of N taken up during the period of grain fill varied greatly among the hybrids. High N‐responsive hybrids took up as much as 3 g N per plant after mid‐silk while low N‐responsive hybrids required only about 1.2 g N per plant. Although proteolysis in leaves is generally related to the availability of N, hybrids differ in the time and extent of protein hydrolysis and nutrient mobilisation. N sufficiency throughout the crop season is critical to preserve RuBP carboxylase and other proteins in leaves to maximise grain fill for the high N‐responsive hydbids.