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Evaluating Precision Nitrogen Management Practices in Terms of Yield, Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Nitrogen Loss Reduction in Maize Crop Under Indian Conditions

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Abstract

Nitrogen (N) losses from the N sources such as manures, fertilizers etc. applied to crops are considered as the largest non-point source of nitrogen-nitrate pollution in surface and groundwater bodies. The extent of water bodies polluted with N is worsening day by day, worldwide, with its severe impact on the quality of drinking water. This necessitates the development of crop specific N management practices to reduce N losses from crop systems. Improvements in agronomic and recovery efficiency of nitrogen in crops are regarded as promising techniques to reduce N losses. With the hypothesis that precise N supply in maize employing LCC or CCM under a critical threshold value will augment the yield performances and Nitrogen Use Efficiency (AEN and REN) of maize, while reducing N losses, a two year study was conducted at Anand, India. Fifty percent reduction in basal N application and subsequent N applications based on LCC critical value 5 resulted in 12.30 and 12.25% increment in maize grain yield over recommended practices during the year 2015 and 2016, respectively. Significant improvement for total biological yield, grain protein accumulation in maize and total N uptake by crop was observed in the direction of N application using LCC threshold point 5, CCM threshold point 40 and recommended practice. Applying nitrogen at whatever the times LCC critical point drops ≤ 5 also recorded 4.09 and 4.17 kg gain in grain produced (over recommended practice) kg−1 of N supplied (AEN), 0.16 and 0.17 kg gain in N uptake (over recommended practice) kg−1 of N supplied (REN) during 2015 and 2016, respectively and a total reduction of 51.14 kg N loss ha−1 (over recommended practice) for the entire study period. The study reveal that compared to blanket application, N fertilizers can be more efficiently managed with LCC threshold value 5 or CCM threshold value 40 for guiding N application with higher yield, NUE and reduced N losses in maize crop.

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Abbreviations

@:

At the rate of

AEN :

Agronomic efficiency of nitrogen

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

BSS:

Bright sunshine hours

CCI:

Chlorophyll content index

CCM:

Chlorophyll content meter

DAP:

Days after planting

DAS:

Days after sowing

EC:

Electrical conductivity

g:

Gram

GAYMH:

Gujarat Anand yellow maize hybrid

ha− 1 :

Per hectare

K:

Potassium

kg:

Kilogram

kg ha− 1 :

Kilogram per hectare

L:

Litres

LCC:

Leaf color chart

LSD:

Least significant difference

m:

Meter

m2 :

Meter square

mg:

Miligram

MMRS:

Main maize research station

N:

Nitrogen

NUE:

Nitrogen use efficiency

OC:

Organic carbon

P:

Phosphorus

PC:

Principal component

PCA:

Principal component analysis

PFPN:

Partial factor productivity for nitrogen

RDN:

Recommended dose of nitrogen

REN :

Recovery efficiency of nitrogen

RF:

Rainfall

RH:

Relative humidity

SPAD:

Soil plant analysis development

t:

Tons

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  1. Dinesh Kumar

    Present address: ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Center, Datia, Madhya Pradesh, 475661, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat, 388110, India

    Dinesh Kumar & R. A. Patel

  2. Micronutrient Project (ICAR), Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat, 388110, India

    V. P. Ramani

  3. Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat, 388110, India

    S. V. Rathod

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Kumar, D., Patel, R.A., Ramani, V.P. et al. Evaluating Precision Nitrogen Management Practices in Terms of Yield, Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Nitrogen Loss Reduction in Maize Crop Under Indian Conditions. Int. J. Plant Prod. 15, 243–260 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42106-021-00133-9

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