TY - JOUR

T1 - Nitrogen uptake and utilization of two maize hybrids with contrasting nitrogen use efficiencies depending on fertilization amount

AU - Shao, Guodong

AU - Cheng, Hao

AU - Dai, Hongcui

AU - Zhang, Hui

AU - Ai, Juanjuan

AU - Liu, Kaichang

AU - Li, Zongxin

AU - Zamanian, Kazem

AU - Qian, Xin

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported the Modern Agricultural Technology System Innovation Team Project of Shandong Province, China [SDAIT-02-07]; the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China [ZR2021QC121]; the Young Talent of Lifting engineering for Science and Technology in Shandong, China [SDAST2021qt04]; and the Research Fund for International Young Scientists of National Natural Science Foundation of China [42050410320].

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Splitting nitrogen (N) application is beneficial for achieving higher grain yields and N use efficiency (NUE), but the responses of N utilization efficiency of different maize cultivars to top-dressing N fertilizer rates are still unclear. This study investigated the effects of fertilization managements on N uptake and utilization derived from topdressing fertilizers of maize hybrids (Ludan981 and Denghai605) with contrasting NUEs. The N fate derived from topdressing fertilizer was determined using the 15N tracing method. Grain yields, dry matter and N accumulation of both maize hybrids were significantly increased under low N levels but decreased under high N levels. Under N-deficient and excess conditions, Denghai605 had higher NUE than Ludan981. The N rates of topdressing significantly affected N uptake and utilization, but no difference was detected between two maize hybrids, and excessive N use led to higher rates of N loss and residual in soil. The N metabolism enzyme activities did not differ between the two maize hybrids. Our findings suggest optimized N management strategies by adjusting topdressing N application rate and timing are necessary to increase NUE and to minimize environmental costs in maize cropping system.

AB - Splitting nitrogen (N) application is beneficial for achieving higher grain yields and N use efficiency (NUE), but the responses of N utilization efficiency of different maize cultivars to top-dressing N fertilizer rates are still unclear. This study investigated the effects of fertilization managements on N uptake and utilization derived from topdressing fertilizers of maize hybrids (Ludan981 and Denghai605) with contrasting NUEs. The N fate derived from topdressing fertilizer was determined using the 15N tracing method. Grain yields, dry matter and N accumulation of both maize hybrids were significantly increased under low N levels but decreased under high N levels. Under N-deficient and excess conditions, Denghai605 had higher NUE than Ludan981. The N rates of topdressing significantly affected N uptake and utilization, but no difference was detected between two maize hybrids, and excessive N use led to higher rates of N loss and residual in soil. The N metabolism enzyme activities did not differ between the two maize hybrids. Our findings suggest optimized N management strategies by adjusting topdressing N application rate and timing are necessary to increase NUE and to minimize environmental costs in maize cropping system.

KW - N recovery

KW - Grain yield

KW - nitrogen fate

KW - nitrogen metabolism

KW - topdressing

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141392052&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/03650340.2022.2142573

DO - 10.1080/03650340.2022.2142573

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85141392052

VL - 69

SP - 2202

EP - 2217

JO - Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science

JF - Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science

SN - 0365-0340

IS - 11

ER -