Preprint Article Version 2 This version is not peer-reviewed

Long-Term Effects of Nitrogen Sources on Yields, Nitrogen Use Efficiencies, and Soil of Tilled, Irrigated Corn

Version 1 : Received: 14 September 2024 / Approved: 16 September 2024 / Online: 18 September 2024 (05:10:22 CEST)
Version 2 : Received: 15 October 2024 / Approved: 16 October 2024 / Online: 18 October 2024 (08:58:04 CEST)

How to cite: Delgado, J. A.; D'Adamo, R. E.; Stewart, C. E.; Floyd, B.; Del Grosso, S. J.; Manter, D. K.; Halvorson, A. D.; Brandt, A. Long-Term Effects of Nitrogen Sources on Yields, Nitrogen Use Efficiencies, and Soil of Tilled, Irrigated Corn. Preprints 2024, 2024091237. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1237.v2 Delgado, J. A.; D'Adamo, R. E.; Stewart, C. E.; Floyd, B.; Del Grosso, S. J.; Manter, D. K.; Halvorson, A. D.; Brandt, A. Long-Term Effects of Nitrogen Sources on Yields, Nitrogen Use Efficiencies, and Soil of Tilled, Irrigated Corn. Preprints 2024, 2024091237. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1237.v2

Abstract

Although corn is the most important and nitrogen (N)-fertilized crop, there is a lack of long-term data on the effects of organic and inorganic N fertilizer on N balance and losses for corn systems under different tillage systems. From 2012 to 2023 we assessed the effects of N sources on grain yields from cultivated continuous corn receiving irrigation at a site with minimal erosion in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, and compared these effects to no-till (NT) and strip till (ST) systems receiving inorganic N. An N balance accounting for N and carbon (C) sequestration found a system nitrogen use efficiency (NUESys) for organic N fertilizer (manure) with tillage of 86.3%, which was higher than the NUESys of 60.2% with inorganic N fertilizer (enhanced efficiency fertilizer, EEF). Conventional tillage with manure use is a good management practice that contributed to higher grain yields (2 of 11 yr.), C sequestration (P<0.05), soil organic N content (P<0.05), and soil phosphorus (P) content than inorganic N fertilizer with tillage (P<0.05). Tilled systems, whether receiving organic or inorganic N fertilizer, had higher yields and grain N content than NT and ST systems receiving inorganic N fertilizer (P<0.05). The grain production of the cultivated system receiving organic N fertilizer did not decrease with time, while the yields of the cultivated system receiving inorganic N fertilizer decreased with time (P<0.05), suggesting that cultivated systems receiving organic N fertilizer may be more sustainable and better able to adapt to a changing climate. Additionally, a combination of manure (30% of N input) with EEF (70% of N input) contributed to a synergistic effect that increased agronomic productivity (harvested grain yields).

Keywords

EEF; manure nitrogen; nitrogen use efficiencies; phosphorus; soil and water conservation; sustainability

Subject

Environmental and Earth Sciences, Soil Science

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