Effects of Drip Irrigation and Top Dressing Nitrogen Fertigation on Maize Grain Yield in Central Poland

Maize is a plant of a global cultivation range and great economic importance, which is mainly due to its high yield potential and versatile use as food, fodder, and energy source. To evaluate the effects of drip irrigation and nitrogen fertigation on maize growth in light soil in the climate conditi...

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Main Authors: Jacek Żarski, Renata Kuśmierek-Tomaszewska
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Series:Agronomy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/2/360
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author Jacek Żarski
Renata Kuśmierek-Tomaszewska
author_facet Jacek Żarski
Renata Kuśmierek-Tomaszewska
author_sort Jacek Żarski
collection DOAJ
description Maize is a plant of a global cultivation range and great economic importance, which is mainly due to its high yield potential and versatile use as food, fodder, and energy source. To evaluate the effects of drip irrigation and nitrogen fertigation on maize growth in light soil in the climate conditions of Central Poland, a field experiment was carried out in 2015–2017, as a dependent split-plot design with four replications. Two factors were used: I. drip irrigation (W0—no irrigation, W1—optimal irrigation, ensuring 100% coverage of the water needs of maize during the period of increased water needs), II—method of top dressing application of two doses of nitrogen 2 × 40 kg·ha<sup>−1</sup> (T—traditional application as broadcasted urea, F—fertigation with the use of a 6% aqueous solution of urea). The results presented in the paper concerning the absolute, relative and unitary average increases in corn grain yields under the influence of drip irrigation indicated the potential for increasing significantly the productivity of corn under the condition of optimizing the water factor. The average yield increase was 2.35 t·ha<sup>−1</sup>, varying depending on rainfall pattern: in the dry season it was 4.79, and in the wet season 1.03–1.22 t·ha<sup>−1</sup>. The application of top-dressing nitrogen fertigation resulted in a significant increase in the yield of maize grain in relation to the traditional method of nitrogen fertilization. Drip irrigation and fertigation are treatments that, ensuring the stability of maize yield over the years, contribute to an increase in plant yield by approximately 25% on average, and over 80% in the dry seasons.
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spelling doaj.art-8e6b36ff52d242b88981b0e95e20028e2023-11-16T18:33:27ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952023-01-0113236010.3390/agronomy13020360Effects of Drip Irrigation and Top Dressing Nitrogen Fertigation on Maize Grain Yield in Central PolandJacek Żarski0Renata Kuśmierek-Tomaszewska1Department of Agrometeorology, Plant Irrigation and Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 6 Bernardyńska Str., 85-029 Bydgoszcz, PolandDepartment of Agrometeorology, Plant Irrigation and Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 6 Bernardyńska Str., 85-029 Bydgoszcz, PolandMaize is a plant of a global cultivation range and great economic importance, which is mainly due to its high yield potential and versatile use as food, fodder, and energy source. To evaluate the effects of drip irrigation and nitrogen fertigation on maize growth in light soil in the climate conditions of Central Poland, a field experiment was carried out in 2015–2017, as a dependent split-plot design with four replications. Two factors were used: I. drip irrigation (W0—no irrigation, W1—optimal irrigation, ensuring 100% coverage of the water needs of maize during the period of increased water needs), II—method of top dressing application of two doses of nitrogen 2 × 40 kg·ha<sup>−1</sup> (T—traditional application as broadcasted urea, F—fertigation with the use of a 6% aqueous solution of urea). The results presented in the paper concerning the absolute, relative and unitary average increases in corn grain yields under the influence of drip irrigation indicated the potential for increasing significantly the productivity of corn under the condition of optimizing the water factor. The average yield increase was 2.35 t·ha<sup>−1</sup>, varying depending on rainfall pattern: in the dry season it was 4.79, and in the wet season 1.03–1.22 t·ha<sup>−1</sup>. The application of top-dressing nitrogen fertigation resulted in a significant increase in the yield of maize grain in relation to the traditional method of nitrogen fertilization. Drip irrigation and fertigation are treatments that, ensuring the stability of maize yield over the years, contribute to an increase in plant yield by approximately 25% on average, and over 80% in the dry seasons.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/2/360drip irrigationnitrogen fertigationproduction effects of maizeirrigation water productivity
spellingShingle Jacek Żarski
Renata Kuśmierek-Tomaszewska
Effects of Drip Irrigation and Top Dressing Nitrogen Fertigation on Maize Grain Yield in Central Poland
Agronomy
drip irrigation
nitrogen fertigation
production effects of maize
irrigation water productivity
title Effects of Drip Irrigation and Top Dressing Nitrogen Fertigation on Maize Grain Yield in Central Poland
title_full Effects of Drip Irrigation and Top Dressing Nitrogen Fertigation on Maize Grain Yield in Central Poland
title_fullStr Effects of Drip Irrigation and Top Dressing Nitrogen Fertigation on Maize Grain Yield in Central Poland
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Drip Irrigation and Top Dressing Nitrogen Fertigation on Maize Grain Yield in Central Poland
title_short Effects of Drip Irrigation and Top Dressing Nitrogen Fertigation on Maize Grain Yield in Central Poland
title_sort effects of drip irrigation and top dressing nitrogen fertigation on maize grain yield in central poland
topic drip irrigation
nitrogen fertigation
production effects of maize
irrigation water productivity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/2/360
work_keys_str_mv AT jacekzarski effectsofdripirrigationandtopdressingnitrogenfertigationonmaizegrainyieldincentralpoland
AT renatakusmierektomaszewska effectsofdripirrigationandtopdressingnitrogenfertigationonmaizegrainyieldincentralpoland