Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2020

Abstract

Splitting the N application into two or more timings may improve corn (Zea mays L.) grain yield and N recovery relative to a single-N application. A 49 site-year study across eight U.S. Midwestern states compared the effect of an at-planting (single-N application) and two split-N applications [45 (45+SD) or 90 kg N ha−1 (90+SD) at planting with the remainder of the total rate (180 or 270 kg N ha−1) applied at V9]. For split-N applications, soil and plant responses were similar between 45+SD and 90+SD 93–98% of the time, indicating the at-planting N rate of 45 kg N ha−1 may be all that is needed in most cropping scenarios. Splitting the N application compared to a single-N application changed soil NO3–N at VT and post-harvest <35% of the time and plant N uptake and grain yield <15% of the time. Split-N applications had greater grain yield in areas with uniform precipitation around the sidedress timing (Shannon Diversity Index >0.56–0.59) to incorporate N in the root zone, and in coarse-textured soil (sand content >4–10%) that had greater potential for N loss. Single-N applications produced greater grain yield in soils with more total N (>2.1–2.4 g kg−1) to support N mineralization and greater cation exchange capacity (CEC) (> 27–31 cmolc kg−1), silt content (>66–74%), or clay content (>24–37%) to improve nutrient and water retention. Decisions on nitrogen application timing should be made based on soil parameters and typical weather conditions around the sidedress timing.

Publication Title

Agronomy Journal

Volume

112

Issue

6

First Page

5288

Last Page

5299

DOI of Published Version

10.1002/agj2.20446

Publisher

Wiley

Rights

© The Authors. Agronomy Journal published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society of Agronomy

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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