Yield and nitrogen use efficiency of two maize varieties as affected by time of nitrogen application
2007
Salih, M.A., Agricultural Research Corporation, Wad medani (Sudan) | Ali, E.S., Agricultural Research Corporation, Wad Medani (Sudan) | Babiker, E.A., Agricultural Research Corporation, wad medani (Sudan). Forestry Research Station | Ali, N.A., Agricultural Research Corporation, Wad medani (Sudan)
Interventions to increase yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), can be accomplished through improved technologies that contribute to the adoption of improved management practices such as improved hybrids/varieties and using the best fertilization practices. With this approach, a field experiment was conducted at the Gezira Research Station for 3 consecutive seasons (2004, 2005 and 2006) using a split plot design. The objective was to examine the performance of two maize varieties which are used as main plot, a hybrid (H -351) and an open pollinated variety (Mugtma -45), under 6 times of N application scenarios in addition to control (0N), which are used as sub plot. Application of 86 kg N/ha at sowing, or in equal split doses (43kgN/ha) at sowing and at 3 weeks after emergence gave the highest grain yield (2745, 2637 kg/ha), N uptake (51, 44.5 kg N/ha), N recovery in grains (38, 31%) and NUE (20.5, 15 kg grains/kg N). The whole N dose applied at 3 weeks after emergence then followed with 2554 kg/ha, 40.5 kg N/ha, 20 % and 17.5 kg /ha grain yield, N uptake, N recovery in grains and NUE respectively. The percent increases in yield of the above mentioned treatments over the control were 140, 131 and 123 %. The corresponding % increase values in N uptake were 183, 147 and 125 respectively. Similar patterns of response were found for the number of kernels/ row and kernel weight. The hybrid, H- 351 was significantly superior to the open Mugtma -45 in grain yield, N uptake, N recovery and NUE.On average and across all time of N application treatments, H-351 out yielded Mugtma-45 by over 20 %. Based on these results it is recommended that, the application of 86 kg N/ha, at sowing is the best time of application scenario to obtain the highest maize grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency
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