Abstract
A 2-year field microplot experiment was conducted to determine the effects of nitrogen (N) splits on grain yields and the fate of 15N-labelled fertilizer applied to plastic mulched maize (Zea mays L.). Three N split applications at the same rate of 225 kg N hm−2 were performed. The N was applied at the day before sowing, the eight-leaf stage (V8), and the silking stage (R1) in the following ratios: 100 %–0–0 (N1), 40–60 %–0 (N2), and 40–30–30 % (N3). 15N-labelled urea (10.14 atom%) was used to trace the fate of each N application in the microplots. The results showed that grain yields increased by 8.3 and 10.7 % in the treatments N2 and N3, respectively, compared with the N1 treatment. Plant N uptake derived from fertilizer (Ndff, %) averaged 26.8–32.4 % compared with 67.6–73.2 % derived from soils (Ndfs, %). Split applications of N significantly increased the Ndff in plant. The residual 15N in the 0–200 cm soil layer ranged from 48.3 to 51.3 % at maize harvest, approximately half of which remained in 0–20 cm soil layer. The 15N recovery efficiency (15NRE) was 37.5 and 39.1 % for treatments N2 and N3, respectively, and was significantly higher than that for N1 treatment (27.9 %). The potential N losses in the treatments N2 and N3 were 11.2 and 12.7 %, respectively, and were significantly lower than losses in treatment N1 (22.2 %). In conclusion, applying N with two splits could produce higher grain yields, higher NRE, and lower N losses in semiarid plastic mulched maize cropping system.
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This research was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31270553, 51279197), the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2015CB150402) and the Special Fund for Agricultural Profession (201103003).
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Wang, S., Luo, S., Yue, S. et al. Fate of 15N fertilizer under different nitrogen split applications to plastic mulched maize in semiarid farmland. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 105, 129–140 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-016-9780-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-016-9780-3