Nitrogen Availability and Physiological Response of Corn After 12 Years with Organic and Mineral Fertilization

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the effects of long-term organic and mineral fertilization on soil solution dynamics of nitrogen (N), as well as to understand its relationship with corn plant growth, plant N uptake, and grain yield. The study was conducted in Santa Maria, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, for 12 years. The treatments consisted of pig slurry (PS); cattle slurry (CS); pig deeplitter (PL); mineral fertilizer (NPK); and no fertilization (control). We determined concentrations of dissolved inorganic N (DIN) and dissolved organic N (DON) in soil solution in situ, prior to sowing and during the growing cycle of corn. In plants, we determined the gaseous exchange, shoot N content, grain yield, and indices of recovery and efficiency of N. DIN in soil solution was the predominant N form in all treatments, ranging from 53 to 80% of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN). NPK was the only treatment that maintained high NO 3-concentration in the soil solution up to 35 days after plant emergence (DAE) and this resulted in higher grain yield. The plants fertilized with CS obtained a recovery of 80% of the N, and promoted improvements in crop growth. The results of this study showed the importance of combining the application of organic fertilizers (before sowing) with mineral sources of N (topdressing), allowing the maintenance of N availability in the soil solution during periods of demand of organic fertilizer.

Liquid Cattle Manure Effect on Corn Yield and Nutrients’ Uptake and Soil Fertility, in Comparison to the Common and Recommended Inorganic Fertilization

“…In agreement with these findings, Martinez et al (2017) and Cavalli et al (2016), who conducted field experiments in Mediterranean countries, found that manure treatments increased corn yield in comparison to the untreated control. Similar results for corn are also reported by Marchezan et al (2020), after cattle slurry application to soil for 12 years. Moreover, Cavalli et al (2016) reported that, after 3 consecutive years of manure (liquid, solid, untreated) application, N uptake by corn and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.)…”

“…As in the present study, Marchezan et al (2020), who evaluated cattle slurry, pig slurry, and pig deep-litter as organic fertilizers for corn in comparison to inorganic fertilization, after field applications for 12 years, reported ANR values of the same magnitude for cattle slurry and N-P-K fertilization treatments. The respective values for the other two organic amendments were much lower.…”

“…Nevertheless, animal manures are an appropriate N source due to their ability to supply crops with readily available inorganic N, but also because they contain organic N, which affects crops and soils in the long term (Cavalli et al 2017;Zhang et al 2018). Nitrogen efficiency is affected by the liquid or the solid fraction of the manure, with liquid slurries having high N efficiency due to their low dry matter content, low value of C/N, and high inorganic N content (Cavalli et al 2017;Marchezan et al 2020;Marzi et al 2020). Therefore, research on the soil application of animal manure should provide information about the change of soil chemical properties and fertility and the studies should be performed in medium to long-term periods (Marchezan et al 2020;Martinez et al 2017;Schlegel et al 2017).…”

Urochloa in Tropical Agroecosystems

“…The composition and quantity of plant residues left by a crop, alter soil nutrient cycles in complex ways (Urquiaga et al, 1998). For instance, depending on the quality (chemical nature) of the residues and the prevalent environmental conditions, nutrients, such as N, can be either immobilized in soil/residues or mineralized and released into the soil solution, becoming available for plant uptake (Urquiaga et al, 1998;Marchezan et al, 2020). There are also nutrient losses due to volatilization and leaching during the mineralization process, and depending on residue quality, these elements may not be fully released during the next crop cycle, although they may become available in the system in the long term.…”

The effect of NPK 16-6-23 fertilizer dosage on the growth and yield of the rice Inpari 30 in Bangkalan regency, East Java

“…Nitrogen (N) is the most essential nutrient for vegetative plant growth (Marchezan et al, 2020). The nitrogen induces the plant growth and carbohydrate and protein metabolism.…”