Effects of nitrogen application rate on summer maize (Zea mays L.) yield and water-nitrogen use efficiency under micro-sprinkling irrigation in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China

• Published in: Archiv für Acker- und Pflanzenbau und Bodenkunde Vol. 68; no. 14; pp. 1915 - 1929
• Main Authors: Wu, Xiangyun, Cai, Xiao, Li, Quanqi, Ren, Baizhao, Bi, Yanpeng, Zhang, Junpeng, Wang, Dong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 06.12.2022; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: agronomy; China; Corn; Crop yield; Dry matter; dry matter accumulation; Efficiency; Evapotranspiration; fertilizer rates; Fertilizers; field experimentation; grain yield; Integration; Irrigation; Irrigation water; Leaf area; Leaf area index; micro-sprinkling irrigation; Nitrogen; Sprinkling; Summer; summer maize; Surface irrigation; Water use; Water use efficiency; Water-fertilizer integration; water-nitrogen use efficiency; Zea mays; China
• ISSN: 0365-0340; 1476-3567; 1476-3567
• DOI: 10.1080/03650340.2021.1939867

To improve the grain yield (GY) and water-nitrogen (N) use efficiency of summer maize, a 2-year field experiment was conducted using micro-sprinkling irrigation water-fertilizer integration. Surface irrigation and N application methods were applied in the control (CK, irrigation at sowing; 300 kg N ha −1 ). Under water-fertilizer integration, N was applied at five rates (0, 120, 180, 240, and 300 kg N ha −1 , N applied at sowing, jointing, and tasseling and ratio of 1:1:1; designated WN 0 , WN 120 , WN 180 , WN 240 , and WN 300 , respectively). The leaf area index and dry matter accumulation increased with increasing N application rate, with a slower rate of increase when N application rate ≥180 kg N ha −1 . Compared with CK, the GY of WN 300 , WN 240 , WN 180 , and WN 120 was not significantly different,but WN 120 significantly decreased by 7.16% and 5.47% than WN 240 and WN 300 .The evapotranspiration,irrigation amount,and N application rate in WN 180 were 9.86%-16.40%, 47.11%-52.23%, and 40% lower,respectively,than in CK,while the water use efficiency and N partial factor productivity was 3.38%-15.14% and 32.04%-60.43% higher.Thus,application of 180 kg N ha −1 with water-fertilizer integration can achieve high GY and improve resource-use efficiency.