Nitrogen Placement, Row Spacing, and Furrow Irrigation Water Positioning Effects on Corn Yield

Abstract

gation management can also lessen NO 3 -N leaching (Robbins and Carter, 1980). Irrigation must be managed Furrow irrigation often leaches NO 3 -N. We hypothesized that carefully to maximize N fertilizer use efficiency and banding and sidedressing N fertilizer on a nonirrigated side of a minimize NO 3 -N leaching, particularly where N fertilcorn (Zea mays L.) row would maintain yield and decrease NO 3 -N leaching. In a 2-yr field study in southern Idaho on a Portneuf silt izer at nominal, economic rates is sidedressed near corn loam (coarse silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Durinodic Xeric Haplo- (Russelle et al., 1981). For irrigated corn production in calcid), we evaluated the effects of (i) N placement (broadcast vs. eastern Nebraska, sidedressing N at the eight-leaf banded), (ii) row spacing (0.76 m vs. a modified 0.56 m), and (iii) growth stage held mineral N (NO 3 -N ϩ NH 4 -N) in irrigation water positioning (applying water to the same side or alterthe upper portion of an irrigated, fertile silty clay loam nating sides of a row with successive irrigations) on field corn yield (Russelle et al., 1981). It may be possible to band and and N uptake. We irrigated every second furrow nine times in 1988 and later sidedress N fertilizer on a nonirrigated, or dry seven times in 1989. Compared with broadcasting, banding maintained furrow, side of a corn (or other crop) row and then grain yield in 1988 and increased it by 11% in 1989. Where N was irrigate the other side (Fig. 1) to reduce leaching by banded in 0.56-m rows in 1989, silage yield when only the nonfertilizedminimizing the contact between the applied N and the furrow was irrigated was 22.9 Mg ha Ϫ1 , which was 22% greater than when alternating furrows were irrigated. Compared with 0.56-m rows,

Urea Fertilizer Placement Impacts on Corn Growth and Nitrogen Utilization in a Poorly-Drained Claypan Soil

“…Lehrsch et al (2000) observed a 6% increase in tissue N concentration in corn silage with banded N fertilizer compared to a broadcast N application. This can be attributed to the higher concentration of nutrients within the root zone with banded fertilizer compared to the lower but more uniformly distributed nutrient concentrations resulting from broadcasting the fertilizer (CAST, 2004).…”

Compost and Manure Effects on Fertilized Corn Silage Yield and Nitrogen Uptake under Irrigation

“…Though the Portneuf's underlying Bk horizon was similar in many respects, it commonly contained nearly three times as much CaCO 3 and half as much organic C. Other properties of a nearby Portneuf pedon were given by Lehrsch, Sojka, and Westermann (2000). After harvesting wheat in August 1999, the stubble was chopped and disked on 14 -15 September 1999 before the amendments were applied.…”

Furrow Irr Igation and N Management Strategies to Protect Water Quality

“…To enable plants to absorb N from fertilized regions of the profile likely to later dry, one might need to wet those regions via irrigation early in the season to stimulate rooting in those areas (Skinner et al, 1998). Where we banded N into a non-irrigated furrow, however, we did not need to irrigate that furrow to maintain both yield (Lehrsch et al, 2000) and N uptake (Figs. 4 -5).…”

“…5), due in large part to poor silage yield from nonfertilized plots in 1989 (Lehrsch et al, 2000). Fertilizer and soil N may have been leached below the developing corn's root system by the two relatively large, early season irrigations in 1989 (Fig.…”

“…Dry soil can also reduce crop N uptake and yield (Benjamin et al, 1997;Keeney, 1982). Placing N fertilizer in or near a non-irrigated furrow, though, does not always reduce corn yield (Hefner and Tracy, 1995;Lehrsch et al, 2000). If one irrigates near the fertilizer to increase N availability (Skinner et al, 1998), N may be leached from the root zone.…”