Plant Soil Environ., 2012, 58(2):76-83 | DOI: 10.17221/538/2011-PSE

The effect of mineral N fertiliser and sewage sludge on yield and nitrogen efficiency of silage maize

J. Černý, J. Balík, M. Kulhánek, F. Vašák, L. Peklová, O. Sedlář
Department of Agro-Environmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic

A field experiment was conducted on a chernozem soil to estimate fertiliser N efficiency of silage maize (Zea mays L.) by the difference method as influenced by the type of N fertiliser (mineral-MF vs. sewage sludge-SS), and N rate. Eight N treatments were included (0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg N/ha prior to maize sowing, 60 kg N/ha at planting in MF; 120, and 240 kg N/ha in SS. The average dry mater (DM) yields were 11.2-14.8 t/ha. Average nitrogen uptakes were 88-185 kg N/ha, when the average N contents in DM were 0.8-1.25%. Nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE) was a relatively stable value for treatments with MF. The best use of nitrogen from MF was reached by 60 and 120 kg/ha N doses. The average values of recovery efficiency of applied N (REN) were calculated as 41-57%. The use of SS increased the yield of silage maize by 19-25% compared to control, above all first and second year after their application. Mineral-fertilizer-N equivalents (MFE) for SS were calculated as 55 and 64%.

Keywords: long-term field experiment; maize yield; nitrogen; N agronomic efficiency; N recovery efficiency; N uptake; N utilization efficiency

Published: February 29, 2012  Show citation

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Černý J, Balík J, Kulhánek M, Vašák F, Peklová L, Sedlář O. The effect of mineral N fertiliser and sewage sludge on yield and nitrogen efficiency of silage maize. Plant Soil Environ. 2012;58(2):76-83. doi: 10.17221/538/2011-PSE.
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