Influence of soil tillage and source of nitrogen fertilizer on corn productivity

Abstract

The effect of soil tillage and source of nitrogen fertilizer applied as sidedressing on corn was studied by means of a field trial conducted on a latosolic Darkred Podzolic soil (PELa). Soil tillage treatments were conventional and notillage soil seed-bed preparation. Nitrogen sources were ammonium sulfate (solid, 20%N) and uran (liquid, 32%N), sidedressed 40 days after sealing emergence. Nitrogen uptake by the plants was evaluated by determining N content in leaves, stalks, panicles and ear, 53 and 67 days after seedling emergence (13 and 27 days after sidedressing). Harvest was done after physiological maturity was reached by the corn crop. Treatment effects on corn production were determined through yield parameters such as ear lenght and diameter, grain and ear weight and a ratio between these two. Analysis and interpretation of the results indicated that soil treatment had no effect on corn yield in the first cropping year. The results showed, however, a higher nitrogen uptake by the corn plants in the no-tillage and liquid nitrogen (uran) tretments which could be atributed to a rainfall defficiency prevailing in the period when the plants were sampled for analysis (53 and 67 days after plant emergence).