Interactive effect of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium fertilization on corn (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Corn (Zea mays L.) is a high-yielding C4 plant that is cultivated all over the world as a food, feed, and biofuel source. Corn plantations in the southern Great Plains have risen during the last two decades, particularly in rain-fed areas, due to growing corn demand and price. Oklahoma planted 129,000 hectares of grain corn in 2020, up from 121,000 ha in 2017, with just 54.2 percent irrigated. The goal of this study is to explore how NPK fertilization affects grain yield, biomass yield, agronomic and nitrogen efficiency indices, and seasonal mineral nutrient concentration and uptake in corn grown under rain-fed conditions. According to the findings of this study, co-application of P and K had no influence on these parameters. Nitrogen rates were discovered to be the single driving factor impacting all metrics including yield, biomass, NUE, and all macro and micronutrient uptake. It was also discovered that nutrient uptake and removal values varied significantly from previous published research, indicating that these values are affected by soil type, environmental conditions, and crop management approaches. Additional sites years would provide useful nutrient uptake and removal data that will be valuable for making sound nutrient management plans.