Irrigation And Nitrogen Fertilization Of Field Corn In Northeast Wyoming

Author : Abdelaziz Nilahyane
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780355134001
Total Pages : 225 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (34 download)

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Download or read book Effect of Irrigation Water and Nitrogen on Physiological Traits, Yield, and Quality of Silage Corn written by Abdelaziz Nilahyane and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Field studies on corn for silage were conducted at the University of Wyoming Research and Extension Center located in Powell, Wyoming during 2014 and 2015 growing seasons. The objectives of the study were to: determine the effect of irrigation water and nitrogen (N) on growth, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) of corn for silage grown under sub-surface drip irrigation (SDI) and on-surface drip irrigation (ODI) systems; determine the effect of irrigation strategies and N on dry matter (DM) yield and nutritive value of corn for silage grown under both SDI and ODI systems; investigate the effect of limited water on growth, physiological attributes, and WUE of corn for silage; and evaluate irrigation water and N management strategies of corn for silage at multiple locations using a simulation approach. The field studies were laid out as a randomized complete block design in a split-plot arrangement with four replications under the SDI and three replications under the ODI. Irrigation was the main treatment and included three strategies based on the crop evapotranspiration (ETc): full irrigation (100ETc), 80ETc, and 60ETc. Nitrogen was the sub-treatment and included 0, 90, 180, 270, and 360 kg N ha−1 as urea-ammonium-nitrate aqueous solution. Results showed that irrigation water and N fertilization strategies affected canopy height, leaf area index (LAI), DM yield, WUE, and irrigation WUE of corn for silage under SDI and ODI systems. The effect of irrigation water was significant during the late vegetative and early reproductive growth stages, suggesting that these are the critical stages to avoid water stress. The combination of 80ETc and 180 kg N ha−1 worked well and could be used for silage corn production in semi-arid conditions. Under SDI, the irrigation water strategies did not affect the nutritive value of corn for silage. On the other hand, significant effect of N rates on crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and total digestible nutrients (TDN) was observed. Similarly, the irrigation water strategies under the ODI showed little to no effect on the nutritive value of corn for silage. Our results showed no effect of N on nutritive value of corn for silage when delivered via ODI. Data suggests that 200 kg N ha−1 and 253 mm of seasonal water use and 180 kg N ha−1 and 280 mm of seasonal water use might be optimal combinations for yield and nutritive value of corn for silage grown under SDI and ODI systems, respectively. The crop physiological responses to water showed that water stress during the period from V14 to R2 growth stages affected photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rates, indicating that these stages are critical to water needs of corn for silage. The simulated results indicated that irrigation water and N fertilizer rate affected LAI, aboveground biomass, N uptake, and WUE of silage corn grown at different locations in Wyoming. The simulated results indicated 100ETc × 180 kg N ha−1 as most suitable for high yield production of silage corn across locations in Wyoming. The model outputs for scenario of no water and N limitations (potential yield) suggested that an increase to as much as 61% on corn biomass could be achieved if irrigation water and N practices are well managed. Overall, results from field research and those from simulations suggest that irrigation water strategy, N fertilizer rate, and timing are key factors affecting growth, yield, and physiology of corn for silage grown in the semi-arid conditions in Wyoming.