Nitrogen use efficiency and nutrient partitioning in maize as affected by blends of controlled-release and conventional urea. Issue 14 (6th December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Garcia, Pedro Lopes; González-Villalba, Hugo Abelardo; Sermarini, Renata Alcarde; Trivelin, Paulo Cesar Ocheuze
• Is Part Of: Archives of agronomy and soil science. Volume 64:Issue 14(2018)
• Page Start: 1944
• Page End: 1962
• Publication Date: 2018-12-06
• Subjects: Polymer-sulfur coated urea -- macronutrient uptake -- Zea mays L.; Horticulture -- Periodicals; Soils -- Periodicals; 630.5
• DOI: 10.1080/03650340.2018.1469746
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0365-0340

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Blends of controlled-release urea (CRU) and conventional urea can be an alternative to conventional fertilization to improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and reduce costs when applied as a single application to agricultural crops. Different indexes of NUE, grain yield, nutrient uptake and partitioning in maize ( Zea mays L.) were investigated in field experiments. The treatments consisted of a single rate of 180 kg N ha −1 with different proportions of polymer-sulfur coated urea (PSCU) and conventional urea (U) applied incorporated at sowing (0.05 m below and 0.1 m to the side of the seed row) at two tropical sites (Site 1, Typic Haplustox; Site 2, Rhodic Haplustox) in Brazil. A control treatment (without urea-N) and a treatment with conventional urea management (UCM: 20% of urea-N applied as basal fertilizer and 80% of N applied as top dressing) were also included. This study demonstrates that blends of PSCU and U are efficient in supplying N throughout the maize cycle at a Typic Haplustox site when applied in a single application incorporated at sowing, resulting in high yields and adequate macronutrient uptake. PSCU improved NUE index compared to U and UCM. There was not response for N fertilization in the Rhodic Haplustox site.