Effect of Polymer-Coated Urea/Urea Blends on Corn Yields under Short Growing Season Conditions in Eastern Canada
Polymer-coated urea (PCU) was developed to better synchronize nitrogen (N) supply with crop needs and reduce N losses. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of different N rates prepared using combinations of urea and ESN (PCU) on corn (<i>Zea mays</i> L.), grain yield,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/3/695 |
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| author | Ashraf Mohammad-Shareef Tubeileh Shamel M. Alam-Eldein Scott Banks |
| author_facet | Ashraf Mohammad-Shareef Tubeileh Shamel M. Alam-Eldein Scott Banks |
| author_sort | Ashraf Mohammad-Shareef Tubeileh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Polymer-coated urea (PCU) was developed to better synchronize nitrogen (N) supply with crop needs and reduce N losses. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of different N rates prepared using combinations of urea and ESN (PCU) on corn (<i>Zea mays</i> L.), grain yield, yield components, in-season nutritional status, and residual soil N. Field experiments were conducted on two sites in eastern Ontario (Canada); Kemptville (sandy loam) and Winchester (clay-loam), and repeated over three years (2011–2013). A total of ten treatments were applied using combinations of three N rates (50, 100, and 150 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>) and three fertilizer proportions (100% urea, 75:25 urea:ESN, and 60:40 urea:ESN) for each rate. The tenth treatment consisted of a non-fertilized control (0 N). Grain yield was significantly affected by N source, N rate, site, and year. There was no significant effect of the N source in most sites/years. In the wetter season 2013, treatment 100N60:40 in the sandy site produced a similar yield to treatments receiving 150 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>. In the clay-loam site, the 150N75:25 treatment had a yield advantage of 11–12% compared with straight urea. Chlorophyll index generally increased with the higher N application rate. The other grain parameters were little affected by the N rate or source. Soil residual mineral N tended to increase with ESN blends at 100 and 150 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> compared with straight urea. Our findings indicate that replacing a portion of urea with PCU might save N in lighter soils prone to leaching especially in wet years without affecting yields. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:03:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9b29768977f84624a22400aaa592a5e3 |
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| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:03:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-9b29768977f84624a22400aaa592a5e32023-11-17T09:04:50ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952023-02-0113369510.3390/agronomy13030695Effect of Polymer-Coated Urea/Urea Blends on Corn Yields under Short Growing Season Conditions in Eastern CanadaAshraf Mohammad-Shareef Tubeileh0Shamel M. Alam-Eldein1Scott Banks2Plant Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USADepartment of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, EgyptEmerging Crop Specialist, Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0, CanadaPolymer-coated urea (PCU) was developed to better synchronize nitrogen (N) supply with crop needs and reduce N losses. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of different N rates prepared using combinations of urea and ESN (PCU) on corn (<i>Zea mays</i> L.), grain yield, yield components, in-season nutritional status, and residual soil N. Field experiments were conducted on two sites in eastern Ontario (Canada); Kemptville (sandy loam) and Winchester (clay-loam), and repeated over three years (2011–2013). A total of ten treatments were applied using combinations of three N rates (50, 100, and 150 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>) and three fertilizer proportions (100% urea, 75:25 urea:ESN, and 60:40 urea:ESN) for each rate. The tenth treatment consisted of a non-fertilized control (0 N). Grain yield was significantly affected by N source, N rate, site, and year. There was no significant effect of the N source in most sites/years. In the wetter season 2013, treatment 100N60:40 in the sandy site produced a similar yield to treatments receiving 150 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>. In the clay-loam site, the 150N75:25 treatment had a yield advantage of 11–12% compared with straight urea. Chlorophyll index generally increased with the higher N application rate. The other grain parameters were little affected by the N rate or source. Soil residual mineral N tended to increase with ESN blends at 100 and 150 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> compared with straight urea. Our findings indicate that replacing a portion of urea with PCU might save N in lighter soils prone to leaching especially in wet years without affecting yields.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/3/695maizepolymer-coated ureaslow-release fertilizerchlorophyll contentenvironmental conditionssoil texture |
| spellingShingle | Ashraf Mohammad-Shareef Tubeileh Shamel M. Alam-Eldein Scott Banks Effect of Polymer-Coated Urea/Urea Blends on Corn Yields under Short Growing Season Conditions in Eastern Canada Agronomy maize polymer-coated urea slow-release fertilizer chlorophyll content environmental conditions soil texture |
| title | Effect of Polymer-Coated Urea/Urea Blends on Corn Yields under Short Growing Season Conditions in Eastern Canada |
| title_full | Effect of Polymer-Coated Urea/Urea Blends on Corn Yields under Short Growing Season Conditions in Eastern Canada |
| title_fullStr | Effect of Polymer-Coated Urea/Urea Blends on Corn Yields under Short Growing Season Conditions in Eastern Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of Polymer-Coated Urea/Urea Blends on Corn Yields under Short Growing Season Conditions in Eastern Canada |
| title_short | Effect of Polymer-Coated Urea/Urea Blends on Corn Yields under Short Growing Season Conditions in Eastern Canada |
| title_sort | effect of polymer coated urea urea blends on corn yields under short growing season conditions in eastern canada |
| topic | maize polymer-coated urea slow-release fertilizer chlorophyll content environmental conditions soil texture |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/3/695 |
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