Soil-nitrogen, potentially mineralizable-nitrogen, and field condition information marginally improves corn nitrogen management

Authors

Jason Clark, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
Fabián G. Fernández, University of Minnesota - Twin CitiesFollow
Kristen S. Veum, USDA, Agricultural Research ServiceFollow
James J. Camberato, Purdue UniversityFollow
Paul R. Carter, Clive, IA
Richard Ferguson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
David W. Franzen, North Dakota State University--FargoFollow
Daniel E. Kaiser, University of Minnesota - Twin CitiesFollow
Newell R. Kitchen, USDA, Agricultural Research ServiceFollow
Carrie A.M. Laboski, University of Wisconsin-MadisonFollow
Emerson Nafziger, University of IllinoisFollow
Carl J. Rosen, University of Minnesota - Twin CitiesFollow
John E. Sawyer, Iowa State UniversityFollow
John F. Shanahan, Soil Health Institute, Lincoln, NE

ORCID IDs

Jason D. Clark https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7793-6411

Kristen S. Veum https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6492-913X

James J. Camberato https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6677-854X

David W. Franzen https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4862-8086

Daniel E. Kaiser https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8478-701X

Newell R. Kitchen https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2268-9016

Emerson D. Nafziger https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6578-1624

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

7-2020

Citation

Agronomy Journal. 2020;112:4332–4343.

DOI: 10.1002/agj2.20335

Comments

U.S. government work

Abstract

Anaerobic potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN) combined with preplant nitrate test (PPNT) or pre-sidedress nitrate test (PSNT) may improve corn (Zea mays L.) N management. Forty-nine corn N response studies were conducted across the U.S. Midwest to evaluate the capacity of PPNT and PSNT to predict grain yield, N uptake, and economic optimal N rate (EONR) when adjusted by soil sampling depth, soil texture, temperature, PMN, and initial NH₄–N from PMN analysis. Pre-plant soil samples were obtained for PPNT (0- to 30-, 30- to 60-, 60- to 90-cm depths) and PMN (0- to 30-cm depth) before corn planting and N fertilization. In-season soil samples were obtained at the V5 corn development stage for PSNT (0- to 30-, 30- to 60-cm depths) at 0 kg N ha⁻¹ at-planting rate and for PMN when 0 and 180 kg N ha⁻¹ was applied at planting. Grain yield, N uptake, and EONR were best predicted when separating soils by texture or sites by annual growing degree-days and including PMN and initial NH₄–N with either NO₃–N test. Using PSNT (mean R² = .30)-instead of PPNT (mean R² = .19)-based models normally increased predictability of corn agronomic variables by a mean of 11%. Including PMN and initial NH₄–N with PPNT or PSNT only marginally improved predictability of grain yield, N uptake, and EONR (R² increase ≤ .33; mean R² = .35). Therefore, including PMN with PPNT or PSNT is not suggested as a tool to improve N fertilizer management in the U.S. Midwest.