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Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Irrigated Corn in the Northern Great Plains
Author(s) -
Wienhold Brian J.,
Trooien Todd P.,
Reichman George A.
Publication year - 1995
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/agronj1995.00021962008700050010x
Subject(s) - agronomy , irrigation , stover , fertilizer , leaching (pedology) , evapotranspiration , environmental science , growing season , nitrogen , soil fertility , water use efficiency , dry matter , soil water , crop , biology , chemistry , ecology , organic chemistry , soil science
Nitrogen and water are the two most common limitations to crop production in the semiarid northern Great Plains. Little is known about N use efficiency by irrigated corn ( Zea mays L.) in this region. A study was conducted to determine how irrigation and N fertility levels affect growth and N use efficiency by corn. Corn was grown under three irrigation levels: precipitation plus irrigation equal to one, two, and three times the calculated evapotranspiration (ET) rate. Fertilizer use efficiency was determined using 15 N‐enriched fertilizer applied at rates equivalent to 100 and 200 kg N ha −1 . Grain and dry matter yields, N content, and utilization of fertilizer N all exhibited yearly variations, probably the result of annual weather patterns, especially temperature. For years when temperatures during the growing season were below the 30‐yr average and affected corn growth, there were no differences in yields and N content between the two fertility levels. For years when temperatures during the growing season were warm enough for favorable growth, corn responded to increasing N fertility with 60% greater yields, 75% greater N content, and 60% greater percentage N derived from fertilizer with the higher N fertility treatment. Averaged across rates, grain utilized 35% and stover an additional 15% of the applied fertilizer, while 30% remained in the upper 0.6 m of the soil profile at the end of the growing season. Twenty percent of the applied fertilizer could not be accounted for, lost to leaching or denitrification. Supplemental irrigation and N fertilization are viable management practices available to producers in the semiarid northern Great Plains.