Sweet corn nutrient uptake and removal

Heckman, J.R.

Sweet corn nutrient uptake and removal

2007

Heckman, J.R.

Current emphasis on writing comprehensive nutrient management plans for crop production in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States requires accurate crop nutrient removal values for vegetable crops. Therefore, studies were conducted to measure nutrient uptake in harvested fresh sweet corn (Zea mays) ears in 2003 on a sandy loam soil and in 2004 on a silt loam soil, in New Jersey. Nine varieties were included in the study to represent early, mid-, and late-season hybrids. Corn production practices followed local extension recommendations. The crop was seeded by hand and thinned to ensure a uniform within-row spacing of 9 inches and a population of 23,231 plants/acre. Nutrient concentrations were determined on ear and stover samples oven-dried at 70 degrees C for 72 hours. Mean nutrient uptake values for full-season varieties based on a typical sweet corn yield of 150 cwt/acre (about 18,396 ears/acre) would be projected to remove (in lb/acre) 51 N, 9.1 P, 34 K, 3.7 S, 2.0 Ca, 3.9 Mg, 0.024 B, 0.09 Fe, 0.044 Mn, 0.014 Cu, and 0.072 Zn. Values for N, P, and K are similar to reference values in Knott's Handbook for Vegetable Growers (4th ed.). Due to smaller ear size, nutrient removal values were generally lower for early and mid-season varieties. In 2004 only, nutrient removal by harvesting the crop residue was also determined by assuming a harvest of 23,231 plants/acre, minus the upper ear for the average full-season hybrid. This biomass was found to remove (in lb/acre) 126 N, 13.4 P, 173 K, 11.6 S, 20.6 Ca, 13.6 Mg, 0.05 B, 0.37 Fe, 0.30 Mn, 0.05 Cu, and 0.13 Zn.

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