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Defoliation and Fertilizer Nitrogen Effects on Nitrate‐nitrogen Profiles in Maize 1
Author(s) -
Hicks D. R.,
Peterson R. H.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1976.00021962006800030011xa
Subject(s) - fodder , agronomy , forage , nitrogen , zea mays , dry matter , fertilizer , leaf blade , biology , nitrate , chemistry , organic chemistry , ecology
Corn ( Zea mays L.) vegetative tissue remaining after hail damage is often utilized for forage. Environmental stresses may cause levels of nitrate‐nitrogen (NO − 3 ‐N) in plant tissue that are toxic to ruminants. This study was conducted to determine the effect of leaf blade removal (simulated hail damage) and N fertilization of the soil on the NO − 3 ‐N profile of corn fodder. Leaf blade removal of 0, 50, 100% was imposed at tasseling on the corn hybrid ‘Dekalb XL45A’ grown in soil fertilized with either 115 or 230 kg N/ha. Plants were sampled approximately weekly for 6 weeks after defoliation. Both stalk and total fodder NO − 3 ‐N concentration increased as either level of defoliation or N rate increased. Stalks of nondefoliated plants contained up to over 4,500 ppm (dry matter basis) NO − 3 ‐N while stalks of plants having 50 and 100% of the leaf blades removed contained up to 5,000 and 5,500 ppm NO − 3 ‐N, respectively. When completely defoliated, fodder NO − 3 ‐N concentration was as high as 1,900 ppm for corn receiving 115 kg N/ha. Fodder of 100%‐defoliated plants receiving 230 kg N/ha contained as much as 2,300 ppm NO − 3 ‐N. These results suggest that corn fodder NO − 3 ‐N concentration increases due to the defoliation caused by hail. Thus hail damage to corn fodder may increase the chances of NO − 3 ‐N toxicity to animals, especially when high rates of fertilizer N are used.