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

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
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.
Download citation

References

  1. Ailincăi C., Jităreanu G., Bucur D., Ailincăi D. (2007): Influence of sewage sludge on maize yield and quality and soil chemical characteristics. International Journal of Food Agriculture and Environment, 5: 310-313.
  2. Balík J., Černý J., Tlustoš P., Vaněk V. (1999): The changes of extractable organic nitrogen and nitrogen of microbial biomass at the long-term experiment with maize. Rostlinná Výroba, 45: 317-323. (In Czech)
  3. Berzsenyi Z., Gyorffy B., Lap D.Q. (2000): Effect of crop rotation and fertilisation on maize and wheat yields and yield stability in a long-term experiment. European Journal of Agronomy, 13: 225-244. Go to original source...
  4. Bleken M.A., Herrmann A., Haugen L.E., Taube F., Bakken L. (2009): SPN: A model for the study of soil-plant nitrogen fluxes in silage maize cultivation. European Journal of Agronomy, 30: 283-295. Go to original source...
  5. Campbell C.A., LaFond G.P., Leyshon A.J., Zentner R.P., Janzen H.H. (1991): Effect of cropping practices on the initial potential rate of N mineralization in a thin Black Chernozem. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 71: 43-53. Go to original source...
  6. Campbell C.A., Zentner R.P., Selles F., Biederbeck V.O., Leyshon A.J. (1992): Comparative effects of grain lentil-wheat and monoculture wheat on crop production, N economy and N fertility in a Brown Chernozem. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 72: 1091-1107. Go to original source...
  7. Carpici E.B., Celik N., Bayram G. (2010): Yield and quality of forage maize as influenced by plant density and nitrogen rate. Turkish Journal of Field Crops, 15: 128-132.
  8. Cassman K.G., Dobermann A., Walters D.T. (2002): Agroecosystems, nitrogen-use efficiency, and nitrogen management. Ambio, 31: 132-140. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  9. Černý J., Balík J., Kulhánek M., Čásová K., Nedvěd V. (2010): Mineral and organic fertilization efficiency in long-term stationary experiments. Plant, Soil and Environment, 56: 28-36. Go to original source...
  10. Cox W.J., Kalonge S., Cherney D.J.R., Reid W.S. (1993): Growth, yield and quality of forage maize under different nitrogen management practices. Agronomy Journal, 85: 341-347. Go to original source...
  11. Cox W.J., Cherney D.J.R. (2001): Row spacing, plant density, and nitrogen effects on corn silage. Agronomy Journal, 93: 597-602. Go to original source...
  12. Delogu G., Cattivelli L., Pecchioni N., De Falcis D., Maggiore T., Stanca A.M. (1998): Uptake and agronomic efficiency of nitrogen in winter barley and winter wheat. European Journal of Agronomy, 9: 11-20. Go to original source...
  13. Dobermann A.R. (2007): Nutrient use efficiency - measurement and management. In: IFA International Workshop on Fertilizer Best Management Practices, 7-9 th March, 2007, Brussels.
  14. Gastal F., Lemaire G. (2001): N uptake and distribution in crops: an agronomical and ecophysiological perspective. Journal of Experimental Botany, Special Issue, 53: 789-799. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  15. Givens D.I., Rulquin H. (2004): Utilisation by ruminants of nitrogen compounds in silage-based diets. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 114: 1-18. Go to original source...
  16. Gutser R., Ebertseder Th., Weber A., Schraml M., Schmidhalter U. (2005): Short-term and residual availability of nitrogen after long-term application of organic fertilizers on arable land. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 168: 439-446. Go to original source...
  17. Hejcman M., Kunzová E. (2010): Sustainability of winter wheat production on sandy-loamy Cambisol in the Czech Republic: Results from a long-term fertilizer and crop rotation experiment. Field Crops Research, 115: 191-199. Go to original source...
  18. Herrmann A., Taube F. (2005): Nitrogen concentration at maturity - An indicator of nitrogen status in forage maize. Agronomy Journal, 97: 201-210. Go to original source...
  19. Möller K., Schulz R., Müller T. (2011): Effects of setup of centralized biogas plants on crop acreage and balances of nutrients and soil humus. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 89: 303-311. Go to original source...
  20. Nannen D., Herrmann A., Loges R., Dittert K., Taube F. (2011): Recovery of mineral fertiliser N and slurry N in continuous silage maize using the 15N and difference methods. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 89: 269-280. Go to original source...
  21. Nedvěd V., Balík J., Černý J., Kulhánek M., Balíková M. (2008): The changes of soil nitrogen and carbon contents in a long-term field experiment under different systems of nitrogen fertilization. Plant, Soil and Environment, 54: 463-470. Go to original source...
  22. Nevens F., Reheul D. (2001): Crop rotation versus monoculture; yield, N yield and ear fraction of silage maize at different levels of mineral N fertilization. Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science, 49: 405-425. Go to original source...
  23. Pavlík M., Pavlíková D., Vašíčková S. (2010a): Infrared spectroscopy-based metabolomic analysis of maize growing under different nitrogen nutrition. Plant, Soil and Environment, 56: 533-540. Go to original source...
  24. Pavlík M., Pavlíková D., Balík J., Neuberg M. (2010b): The contents of amino acids and sterols in maize plants growing under different nitrogen conditions. Plant, Soil and Environment, 56: 125-132. Go to original source...
  25. Plénet D., Lemaire G. (1999): Relationships between dynamics of nitrogen uptake and dry matter accumulation in maize crops. Determination of critical N concentration. Plant and Soil, 216: 65-82. Go to original source...
  26. Schröder J.J., Jansen A.G., Hilhorst G.J. (2005): Long-term nitrogen supply from cattle slurry. Soil Use and Management, 21: 196-204. Go to original source...
  27. Schröder J.J., Neeteson J.J., Withagen J.C.M., Noij I.G.A.M. (1998): Effects of N application on agronomic and environmental parameters in silage maize production on sandy soils. Field Crops Research, 58: 55-67. Go to original source...
  28. Seo J.-H., Meisinger J.J., Lee H.-J. (2006): Recovery of nitrogen15-labeled hairy vetch and fertilizer applied to corn. Agronomy Journal, 98: 245-254. Go to original source...
  29. Singh R.P., Agrawal M. (2008): Potential benefits and risks of land application of sewage sludge. Waste Management, 28: 347-358. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  30. Šrek P., Hejcman M., Kunzová E. (2010): Multivariate analysis of relationship between potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yield, amount of applied elements, their concentrations in tubers and uptake in a long-term fertilizer experiment. Field Crops Research, 118: 183-193. Go to original source...
  31. Vaněk V., Němeček R., Najmanová J. (1997): The effect of site and way of management on the content of mineral and mineralizable nitrogen in soils. Rostlinná Výroba, 43: 463-471. (In Czech)
  32. Wachendorf M., Volkers K.C., Loges R., Rave G., Taube F. (2006): Performance and environmental effects of forage production on sandy soils. IV. Impact of slurry application, mineral N fertilizer and grass understorey on yield and nitrogen surplus of maize for silage. Grass and Forage Science, 61: 232-242. Go to original source...
  33. Yan D.-Z., Wang D.-J., Sun R.-J., Lin J.-H. (2006): N mineralization as affected by long-term N fertilization and its relationship with crop N uptake. Pedosphere, 16: 125-130. Go to original source...
  34. Ziadi N., Brassard M., Bélanger G., Cambouris A.N., Tremblay N., Nolin M.C., Claessens A., Parentc L.-E. (2008): Critical nitrogen curve and nitrogen nutrition index for corn in eastern Canada. Agronomy Journal, 100: 271-276. Go to original source...

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.