Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T04:08:27.591Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Nitrogen use and agronomic efficiency of rainfed wheat in permanent beds as affected by N fertilizer, precipitation and soil nitrate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 May 2021

Agustin Limon-Ortega*
Affiliation:
INIFAP-CEVAMEX, Carretera Los Reyes-Lecheria, km 13.3, Texcoco, CP 56250, Mexico
*
Author for correspondence: Agustin Limon-Ortega, E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is an input that has played an important role in grain yield, N use efficiency (NUE), and agronomic efficiency (AE) that needs to be studied on rainfed wheat grown in permanent beds as a planting system. The objective of this study was to test the effect of N treatments on yield, NUE and AE from 2005 to 2009. The experimental design consisted of three N rates (25, 50 and 75 kg/ha) and four N timing treatments (two single basal applications and two splits), plus a control plot (0 N). Results showed that N rate and N timing treatments had no effect on grain yield, but years, meanwhile Year–N rate interaction affected NUE and AE. Precipitation and post-harvest soil N-NO3 were identified as factors to test the years' effect on yield, NUE and AE. Regression procedures showed that the effect was greater for 25 kg N/ha treatment. The relationships between these variables and precipitation were positive, whereas the opposite occurred with soil N-NO3. NUE and AE, however, showed negative values in crop seasons with moisture constraints from precipitation (<335 mm) and soil N-NO3 (>90 kg N-NO3/ha). This result indicated that N removal and yield in these years were larger in control plots (0 N) than fertilizer application. Precipitation and soil N-NO3, rather than N treatments, explained most of the yield, NUE and AE variation over years. Therefore, to enhance that effect of weather and soil, further research on alternate N sources is needed.

Type
Crops and Soils Research Paper
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arnal, DB, Mallarino, AP, Ruark, MD, Varvel, GE, Solie, JB, Stone, ML, Mullock, JL, Taylor, RK and Raun, WR (2013) Relationship between grain crop yield potential and nitrogen response. Agronomy Journal 105, 13351344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chuan, L, He, P, Pampolino, MF, Johnston, AM, Jin, J, Xu, X, Zhao, S, Qiu, S and Zhou, W (2013) Establishing a scientific basis for fertilizer recommendations for wheat in China: yield response and agronomic efficiency. Field Crops Research 140, 18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dessureault-Rompre, J, Zebarth, BJ, Burton, DL, Gregorich, EG, Goyer, C, Georgallas, A and Grant, CA (2013) Are soil mineralizable nitrogen pools replenished during the growing season in agricultural soils? Soil Science Society of American Journal 77, 512524.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duan, Y, Shi, X, Li, S, Sun, X and He, X (2014a) Nitrogen use efficiency as affected by phosphorus and potassium in long-term rice and wheat experiments. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 13, 588596.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duan, Y, Xu, M, Gao, S, Yang, X, Huang, S, Liu, H and Wang, B (2014b) Nitrogen use efficiency in a wheat-corn cropping system for 15 years of manure and fertilizer application. Field Crops Research 157, 4756.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grahmann, K, Verhulst, N, Buerkert, A, Ortiz-Monasterio, I and Govaerts, B. (2013) Nitrogen use efficiency and optimization of nitrogen fertilization in conservation agriculture. CAB Reviews. 8, 119. 10.1079/PAVSNNR20138053.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
He, J, Li, H, McHugh, AD, Wang, Q, Lu, Z, Li, W and Zhang, Y (2015) Permanent raised beds improve crop performance and water use on the North China Plain. Journal of Soil and water Conservation 70, 5462.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Khan, SA, Mulvaney, RL, Ellsworth, TR and Boast, CW (2007) The myth of nitrogen fertilization for soil carbon sequestration. Journal of Environmental Quality 36, 18211832.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Krobel, R, Campbell, CA, Zentner, RP, Lemke, R, Desjardins, RL and Karimi-Zindashty, Y (2012) Effect of N, P and cropping frequency on nitrogen use efficiencies of spring wheat in the Canadian semi-arid prairie. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 92, 141154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ladha, JK, Pathak, H, Krupnik, TJ, Six, J and van Kessel, C (2005) Efficiency of fertilizer nitrogen in cereal production: retrospects and prospects. Advances in Agronomy 87, 85156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lundy, ME, Pittelkow, CM, Linqiuist, BA, Liang, X, van Groenigen, KJ, Lee, J, Six, J, Ventera, RT and van Kessel, C (2015) Nitrogen fertilization reduces yield declines following no-till adoption. Field Crops Research 183, 204210.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morris, TF, Murrell, TS, Beegle, DB, Camberato, JJ, Ferguson, RB, Grove, J, Ketterings, Q, Kyveryga, PM, Laboski, CAM, McGrath, JM, Meisinger, JJ, Melkonian, J, Moebius-Clune, BN, Nafziger, ED, Osmond, D, Sawyer, JE, Scharf, PC, Smith, W, Spargo, JT, van Es, HM and Yang, H (2018) Strengths and limitations of nitrogen rate recommendations for corn and opportunities for improvement. Agronomy Journal 110, 137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mulvaney, RL, Khan, SA and Ellsworth, TR (2009) Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer deplete soil nitrogen: a global dilemma for sustainable cereal production. J. Env. Qual 38, 22952314. doi:10.2134/jeq2008.0527CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nyiraneza, J, Ziadi, N, Zebarth, BJ, Sharifi, M, Burton, DL, Drury, CF, Bittman, S and Grant, CA (2011) Prediction of soil nitrogen supply in corn production using soil chemical and biological indices. Soil Science Society of American Journal 76, 925935.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Omara, P, Aula, L, Oyebiyi, F and Raun, WR (2019) World cereal nitrogen use efficiency trends: review and current knowledge. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment 2, 18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raun, WR, Dhillon, J, Aula, L, Eickhoff, E, Weymayer, G, Figueirdeo, B, Lynch, T, Omara, P, Nambi, E, Oyebiyi, F and Fornah, A (2019) Unpredictable nature of environment on nitrogen supply and demand. Agronomy Journal 111, 27862791.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ravier, C, Meynard, JM, Cohan, JP, Gate, P and Jeuffroy, MH (2017) Early nitrogen deficiencies favor high yield, grain protein content and N use efficiency in wheat. European Journal of Agronomy 89, 1624.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rong-Fang, Z, Xin-Ping, C, Fu-Suo, Z, Hailin, Z, Schroder, J and Romheld, V (2006) Fertilization and nitrogen balance in a wheat-maize rotation system in North China. Agronomy Journal 98, 938945.Google Scholar
Rosegrant, M, Cai, X, Cline, S and Nakagawa, N (2002) The role of rainfed agriculture in the future of global food production. Environment and Production Technology Division (EPTD). International Food Policy Research Institute. Discussion Paper No. 90. [127], Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
Ryan, J, Sommer, R and Ibrikci, H (2012) Fertilizer best management practices: a perspective from the dryland west Asia-north Africa region. Journal of Agriculture and Crop Science 198, 5767.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SAS Institute (1999) SAS/STAT user's guide. Version 8.1. SAS Inst., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Sharma, LK and Bali, SK (2018) A review of methods to improve nitrogen use efficiency in agriculture. Sustainability 10, 51. doi.org/10.3390/su10010051CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomason, WE, Raun, WR, Johnson, GV, Freeman, KW, Wynn, KL and Mullen, RW (2002) Production system techniques to increase nitrogen use efficiency in winter wheat. Journal of Plant Nutrition 25, 22612283.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vanlauwe, B, Kihara, J, Chivenge, P, Pypers, P, Coe, R and Six, J (2011) Agronomic use efficiency on N fertilizer in maize-based systems in sub-Saharan Africa within the context of integrated soil fertility management. Plant and Soil 339, 3550.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Verhulst, N, Nelissen, V, Jespers, N, Haven, H, Sayre, KD, Raes, D, Deckers, J and Govaerts, B (2011) Soil water content, maize yield and its stability as affected by tillage and crop residue management in rainfed semi-arid highlands. Plant and Soil 344, 7385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar