Efficiency of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization in Winter Wheat under Pannonian Climate Conditions
Improvements in nitrogen (N) use efficiency in crop production are important for addressing the triple challenges of food security, environmental degradation and climate change. The three fertilizers, calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), urea (Urea) and stabilized urea (Urea<sub>stab</sub>),...
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/10/11/541 |
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| author | Gerhard Moitzi Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner Hans-Peter Kaul Helmut Wagentristl |
| author_facet | Gerhard Moitzi Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner Hans-Peter Kaul Helmut Wagentristl |
| author_sort | Gerhard Moitzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Improvements in nitrogen (N) use efficiency in crop production are important for addressing the triple challenges of food security, environmental degradation and climate change. The three fertilizers, calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), urea (Urea) and stabilized urea (Urea<sub>stab</sub>), were applied at a rate of 160 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> with two or three splits to winter wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) in the Pannonian climate region of eastern Austria. On average, over all fertilization treatments, the grain yield (GY) increased by about a quarter and the grain N concentration (GNC) doubled compared to the control without fertilization. Consequently, the grain N yield (NY<sub>GRAIN</sub>) was increased with N fertilization by 154%. The GY increased due to a higher grain density with no differences between N fertilizers but with a tendency of a higher grain yield with three compared to two splits. Three splits also slightly increased the GNC and consequently the NY<sub>GRAIN</sub> of CAN and Urea<sub>stab</sub> in one year. The removal of N fertilizer with the NY<sub>GRAIN</sub> (N surplus) was higher than the amount of applied fertilizer. Fertilization decreased the N use efficiency (NUE), the N uptake efficiency (NUpE) and the N utilization efficiency (NUtE) but increased the soil mineral nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub>-N) at harvest and the apparent N loss (ANL). Three compared to two applications resulted in a higher NO<sub>3</sub>-N at harvest but also a lower N surplus due to partly higher NY<sub>GRAIN</sub>. Consequently, the ANL was lower with three compared to two splits. Also, the NUpE and the apparent N recovery efficiency (ANRE) were higher with three splits. The best N treatment regarding highest above-ground biomass yield with lowest N surplus, N balance and ANL was the three-split treatment (50 CAN, 50 CAN, 60 liquid urea ammonium nitrate). Three splits can, under semi-arid conditions, be beneficial when aiming high-quality wheat for bread-making and also for reducing the N loss. Whereas, two splits are recommended when aiming only at high GY, e.g., for ethanol-wheat production. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:55:53Z |
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| id | doaj.art-728fc1eb825e4e25bd657c9ed0675c18 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:55:53Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-728fc1eb825e4e25bd657c9ed0675c182023-11-20T20:37:53ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722020-11-01101154110.3390/agriculture10110541Efficiency of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization in Winter Wheat under Pannonian Climate ConditionsGerhard Moitzi0Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner1Hans-Peter Kaul2Helmut Wagentristl3Experimental Farm Groß-Enzersdorf, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Schloßhofer Straße 31, 2301 Groß-Enzersdorf, AustriaDepartment of Crop Sciences, Institute of Agronomy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, AustriaDepartment of Crop Sciences, Institute of Agronomy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, AustriaExperimental Farm Groß-Enzersdorf, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Schloßhofer Straße 31, 2301 Groß-Enzersdorf, AustriaImprovements in nitrogen (N) use efficiency in crop production are important for addressing the triple challenges of food security, environmental degradation and climate change. The three fertilizers, calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), urea (Urea) and stabilized urea (Urea<sub>stab</sub>), were applied at a rate of 160 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> with two or three splits to winter wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) in the Pannonian climate region of eastern Austria. On average, over all fertilization treatments, the grain yield (GY) increased by about a quarter and the grain N concentration (GNC) doubled compared to the control without fertilization. Consequently, the grain N yield (NY<sub>GRAIN</sub>) was increased with N fertilization by 154%. The GY increased due to a higher grain density with no differences between N fertilizers but with a tendency of a higher grain yield with three compared to two splits. Three splits also slightly increased the GNC and consequently the NY<sub>GRAIN</sub> of CAN and Urea<sub>stab</sub> in one year. The removal of N fertilizer with the NY<sub>GRAIN</sub> (N surplus) was higher than the amount of applied fertilizer. Fertilization decreased the N use efficiency (NUE), the N uptake efficiency (NUpE) and the N utilization efficiency (NUtE) but increased the soil mineral nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub>-N) at harvest and the apparent N loss (ANL). Three compared to two applications resulted in a higher NO<sub>3</sub>-N at harvest but also a lower N surplus due to partly higher NY<sub>GRAIN</sub>. Consequently, the ANL was lower with three compared to two splits. Also, the NUpE and the apparent N recovery efficiency (ANRE) were higher with three splits. The best N treatment regarding highest above-ground biomass yield with lowest N surplus, N balance and ANL was the three-split treatment (50 CAN, 50 CAN, 60 liquid urea ammonium nitrate). Three splits can, under semi-arid conditions, be beneficial when aiming high-quality wheat for bread-making and also for reducing the N loss. Whereas, two splits are recommended when aiming only at high GY, e.g., for ethanol-wheat production.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/10/11/541winter wheatmineral N fertilizerN splittingcrop yieldN yieldapparent N loss |
| spellingShingle | Gerhard Moitzi Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner Hans-Peter Kaul Helmut Wagentristl Efficiency of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization in Winter Wheat under Pannonian Climate Conditions Agriculture winter wheat mineral N fertilizer N splitting crop yield N yield apparent N loss |
| title | Efficiency of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization in Winter Wheat under Pannonian Climate Conditions |
| title_full | Efficiency of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization in Winter Wheat under Pannonian Climate Conditions |
| title_fullStr | Efficiency of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization in Winter Wheat under Pannonian Climate Conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Efficiency of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization in Winter Wheat under Pannonian Climate Conditions |
| title_short | Efficiency of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization in Winter Wheat under Pannonian Climate Conditions |
| title_sort | efficiency of mineral nitrogen fertilization in winter wheat under pannonian climate conditions |
| topic | winter wheat mineral N fertilizer N splitting crop yield N yield apparent N loss |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/10/11/541 |
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