Liming Optimizes Nitrogen Fertilization in a Maize-Upland Rice Rotation under No-Till Conditions

• Published in: Agronomy (Basel) Vol. 11; no. 10; p. 2005
• Main Authors: Crusciol, Carlos Alexandre Costa, Momesso, Letusa, de Campos, Murilo, Bossolani, João William, Portugal, José Roberto, Moretti, Luiz Gustavo, Volf, Marcelo Raphael, Calonego, Juliano Carlos, Rosolem, Ciro Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.10.2021
• Subjects: Acidification; Agricultural practices; Agricultural production; Calcium ions; Chemical properties; Corn; Crop development; Crop residues; Crop rotation; Crop yield; Cropping systems; Crops; Decomposition; Efficiency; Experiments; Fertilization; Fertilizers; Fruits; Grain; grass crop rotation; Grasses; Lime; lime application; Liming; Magnesium; Nitrogen; nitrogen rate; Nutrients; Nutritional status; Optimization; Potassium; Rice; Rotation; Soil chemistry; Soil fertility; Soil improvement; Soil lime; Soil pH; Soil properties; Soils; tropical agriculture
• ISSN: 2073-4395; 2073-4395
• DOI: 10.3390/agronomy11102005

Liming and N fertilization are common practices for optimizing crop yields in tropical agriculture, but the adequate N rate to ensure crop development, enhance yields and N use efficiency, and improve soil chemical properties has not been established for grass rotation. We assessed the optimal N fertilizer rate for combination with liming in an agricultural system composed of two grasses (maize and rice) in rotation under no-till (NT) conditions. Four N rates (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg N·ha−1) were tested under two liming conditions. Maize (11 Mg·ha−1) and rice (5 Mg·ha−1) yields were highest with lime and 150 kg N·ha−1 applications. At 18 months after liming, lime application increased soil pH. In addition, combining liming with N fertilization further increased SOM content at all N rates. Lime increased available P, exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+, and BS at N rates of 0, 50, and 100 kg N·ha−1. Overall, combining liming and N fertilization is beneficial for grass crops under NT conditions, as evidenced by enhanced maize and rice N use efficiency and yields. N fertilization rates of 100 and 150 kg N·ha−1 under lime amendment provided the best improvements in crop yields in this cropping system.