Physiological constraints to realizing maize grain yield recovery with silking-stage nitrogen fertilizer applications

Mueller, Sarah M.; Vyn, Tony J.

doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2018.08.025

Cited by 41 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…The methods of this experiment are discussed in-depth in Mueller and Vyn (2018) 27 . In brief, a two-year experiment was carried out at the Purdue Agriculture Center for Research and Education in West Lafayette, Indiana (40.471, −86.992) in 2016 and 2017.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simultaneous gains in grain yield and nitrogen efficiency over 70 years of maize genetic improvement

Mueller¹,

Messina

Vyn

2019

Sci Rep

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The competing demands of increasing grain yields to feed a growing population and decreasing nitrogen (N) fertilizer use and loss to the environment poses a grand challenge to farmers and society, and necessitates achieving improved N use efficiency (NUE) in cereal crops. Although selection for increased yield in maize has improved NUE over time, the present understanding of the physiological determinants of NUE and its key components hampers the design of more effective breeding strategies conducive to accelerating genetic gain for this trait. We show that maize NUE gains have been supported by more efficient allocation of N among plant organs during the grain filling period. Comparing seven maize hybrids commercialized between 1946 and 2015 from a single seed company in multiple N fertilizer treatments, we demonstrate that modern hybrids produced more grain per unit of accumulated N by more efficiently remobilizing N stored in stems than in leaves to support kernel growth. Increases in N fertilizer recovery and N harvest index at maturity were mirrored by a steady decrease in stem N allocation in this era study. These insights can inform future breeding strategies for continued NUE gains through improved conversion efficiency of accumulated plant N into grain yield.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simultaneous gains in grain yield and nitrogen efficiency over 70 years of maize genetic improvement

Mueller¹,

Messina

Vyn

2019

Sci Rep

Self Cite

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“…These samples were first washed off and then scanned using the WinRHIZO software. When crops reached physiological maturity, ten plants from each plot were randomly harvested to determine the grain number per cob and the 100-grain weight in the harvesting area of 20 m 2 (Mueller and Vyn, 2018).…”

Section: Depth (Cm)mentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of biodegradable and plastic film mulching on nitrogen uptake, distribution, and leaching in a drip-irrigated sandy field

Chen

Šimůnek

et al. 2020

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

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Drip irrigation under plastic film mulching with applications of the N-fertilizer is an excellent agricultural strategy, resulting in saving irrigation water, improving N use efficiency, and increasing crop yield. However, the film residue and nitrate-nitrogen (NO 3-N) losses are the leading cause of non-point pollution in agricultural fields. To promote the development of sustainable agriculture, the HYDRUS (2D/3D) model was first calibrated and then validated using experimental data from 2016 and 2017, respectively, collected in the drip-irrigated sandy field with plastic film mulching (PFM), biodegradable film mulching (BFM), and no film mulching (NFM). Additionally, the NO 3-N spatial and temporal distributions, uptake, leaching, and use efficiency (NUE) under PFM, BFM, and NFM with 280 kg ha −1 of the N-fertilizer (the local recommendation) were evaluated using both observed and simulated data. These factors were also assessed under BFM with 210 (75 % of the recommended value) and 140 kg ha-1 (50 % of the recommended value) of the N-fertilizer. The results of numerical simulations were in good agreement with observations, with the RMSE, R 2 , and NSE during verification being 0.01-0.08 mg cm-3 , 0.62-0.87, and 0.68-0.94, respectively. When the same amount of the N-fertilizer (280 kg ha −1) was applied in each treatment, there were no apparent differences in NO 3-N concentrations in the soil profile, cumulative NO 3-N uptake by corn (CNU), and cumulative NO 3-N leaching (CNL) in the 100-cm soil depth between the BFM 280 and PFM 280 scenarios (the subscript indicates the amount of the N-fertilizer) during the early growing season (Day After Sowing [DAS] of 0-78 in 2016 and DAS of 0-92 in 2017). However, CNU and CNL were higher, and the NO 3-N concentrations in the upper soil layer (0−40 cm soil layer) lower in these two scenarios than in the NFM 280 scenario. The NO 3-N concentrations in the topsoil layer (the 0−20 cm soil layer) in the BFM 280 scenario were 3.9 % higher than in the PFM 280 scenario during DAS 93-154 in 2017 due to the disintegration of the biodegradable film and 26.3 % lower during DAS 79-155 in 2016 because of intensive rainfall. Additionally, the highest NUE (50.9 kg kg-1 , the average value for two years) was found when 75 % of the recommended N-fertilizer (210 kg ha −1) was applied. Therefore, an application of 210 kg ha −1 of the Nfertilizer in the BFM scenario can be recommended for sandy farmland to avoid plastic pollution, increase NUE, and effectively promote the development of sustainable agriculture.

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“…Moreover, few studies have evaluated the degree to which SMN over the full course of vegetative growth explains yield variability across a range of crop production conditions. The relationship between SMN and yield response is particularly uncertain during late vegetative growth stages when SMN has decreased due to crop uptake and a variety of factors other than SMN interact to control plant growth (Mueller & Vyn, 2018). The lack of published empirical evidence supporting the assumption that SMN during late vegetative growth stages helps predict yield response requires further investigation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship of in‐season soil nitrogen concentration with corn yield and potential nitrogen losses

Preza‐Fontes

Nafziger

Christianson

et al. 2020

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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New process‐based tools for predicting in‐season soil nitrogen (N) levels has the potential to provide timely information for N management decisions for corn (Zea mays L.) production systems in the U.S. There is, however, little published data supporting the assumption that soil mineral N (SMN, NH4‐N + NO3‐N at 0–60 cm) is correlated with yield response at different vegetative growth stages. Moreover, the degree to which changes in SMN influence the risk of N losses is uncertain. Data from 32 site‐years of field experiments in Illinois (2015–2018)—that included 12 combinations of N fertilizer rate, timing, and source—were used to evaluate the relationship between SMN concentration and grain yields across vegetative growth stages and estimate the exceedance probability of N losses. Overall, SMN across vegetative growth explained 46–61% of the variation in grain yield. Critical level of SMN that optimized yield decreased from 23.4 mg kg−1 at V5‐V7 to 9.1 mg kg−1 at VT‐R1 growth stage, but it was consistent, ranging from 14.7 to 16.3 mg kg−1, among sampling periods between V8 and V16 stages. While increasing SMN from deficiency (below critical levels) to sufficiency (at critical levels) increased yields by 22% (11.8 vs. 14.4 Mg ha−1), it also increased the probability of environmental N losses throughout vegetative growth, indicating a clear tradeoff between production and sustainability goals. These results help guide the development of sustainable in‐season N management strategies by illustrating the importance of incorporating risks of environmental N losses when trying to reach optimum grain yield levels.

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Physiological constraints to realizing maize grain yield recovery with silking-stage nitrogen fertilizer applications

Cited by 41 publications

References 45 publications

Simultaneous gains in grain yield and nitrogen efficiency over 70 years of maize genetic improvement

Simultaneous gains in grain yield and nitrogen efficiency over 70 years of maize genetic improvement

The effects of biodegradable and plastic film mulching on nitrogen uptake, distribution, and leaching in a drip-irrigated sandy field

Relationship of in‐season soil nitrogen concentration with corn yield and potential nitrogen losses

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