No-Tillage Corn Hybrids Response to Starter Fertilizer

Abstract

Starter fertilizer can help improve early‐season corn (Zea mays L.) growth, especially under cool soil conditions, but corn hybrids may differ in their response to starter fertilizer. This study evaluated the response of corn hybrids to complete starter fertilizers applied under no‐tillage, dryland conditions. Nine site‐years of data were collected from 1993 through 1995 at four geographical locations: Doon (NW1) in extreme NW Iowa, Sutherland (NW2) in central NW Iowa, Lewis (SW), and Crawfordsville (SE). The soil types were as follows: NW1— Moody silty clay loam (fine‐silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Udic Haplustolls); SW—Marshall silty clay loam (fine‐silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Hapludolls); SE—Nira silty clay loam (fine‐silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Oxyaquic Hapludolls); and NW2—Primghar silty clay loam (fine‐silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic Hapludolls). Each hybrid was planted with and without starter fertilizer applied 2 in. to the side and 2 in. below the seed at planting. Hybrid‐by‐starter interactions were not significant for early‐season dry matter production, nutrient concentration, or grain yield in any of the site‐years, indicating that the hybrids, on average, responded similarly to starter fertilizer. Starter fertilizer increased early‐ season growth significantly in four of eight site‐years and grain yield in seven of nine site‐years. Average grain yield increases ranged from 4 bu/acre at the NW2 site in 1993 to 18 bu/acre at the SE site in 1995. Yield increases were not significant either year at the NW1 site. Increases in dry matter yield ranged from 18.7% at the SW site to 97.8% at the SE site in 1994. Starter fertilizer affected tissue K concentration to a much larger degree than it did N and P concentrations especially at the SE site. The results suggest that starter fertilizer will likely benefit no‐tillage corn for most hybrids in the northern corn belt even on soils with adequate P and K. Research Question No‐tillage systems have become attractive options for many corn producers because of potential on‐farm energy savings and the advantages of soil and water conservation. Residue cover on no‐tillage systems can result in cooler and wetter soils especially at time of planting. Cool soil temperatures can reduce early‐season growth, nutrient uptake, and yield of crops. However, starter fertilizers placed within the rooting zone of seedlings have been shown to improve early‐season corn growth and development due to better availability of the nutrients. Responses to starter fertilizers can vary among corn hybrids since they may differ in rooting characteristics, uptake and utilization of nutrients. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the response of different corn hybrids to starter fertilizer in no‐tillage systems. Literature Summary Nitrogen and P are considered to be the essential ingredients in starter fertilizers. Some recent studies that have evaluated corn and grain sorghum response to N‐P starter fertilizers in no‐tillage environments, suggest hybrids res...

Tillage Effects on Corn Response to Starter Fertilizer

“…Results from our study indicated that corn yields were the same regardless of tillage selection or if starter fertilizer was used. These results do not support previous research by Scharf (21) in Missouri and Buah et al (4) in Iowa in which they concluded that starter fertilizer increased corn grain yields in no‐tillage systems.…”

Kansas Fertilizer Research 2008

“…Through further research, we found that addition of starter fertilizer increased the number and depth of roots for some corn hybrids but had no effect on other hybrids and that rooting characteristics were related to yield response to starter fertilizer (Gordon and Pierzynski, 2006). However, other research has not found any differential corn hybrid response to starter fertilizer (Buah et al, 1999).…”

In furrow starter and broadcast phosphorus and potassium fertilization for corn

“…Research in Kansas (Gordon et al, 1997) observed that only some corn hybrids responded to a NP starter fertilizer when STP was higher than optimum levels for yield production. However, work in Iowa observed no significant interaction between a NPK starter fertilizer mixture and corn hybrid (Buah et al, 1999). Studies in Wisconsin (Bundy and Andraski, 1991) found the probability of observing corn yield response to various starter fertilizer mixtures increased at later planting dates for any given hybrid relative maturity.…”