Combined effect of irrigation regimes and nitrogen levels on yield, radiation and nitrogen use efficiencies in maize

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Graduated master of agronomy, Ilam university.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of agriculture, Ilam University. Iran.

3 Assistant professor, Faculty of agriculture, Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Ilam University. Iran.

Abstract

Abstract
Background & objective: The aims of this study was to investigate the radiation and nitrogen use efficiency at different irrigation regime and nitrogen rate in Ilam climatic condition.

Material & methods: The experiment was conducted as a split-plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications in Agronomy Research Farm of Ilam University. The experimental factors included 3 irrigation regime (100, 80, and 60 percent of field capacity) and nitrogen rate at three levels (0, 100 and 150 kg.ha-1).
Results: The highest grain and biological yield were obtained with 5275 and 17209 kg/ha in I100 N150 treatment, respectively. Radiation use efficiency of Maize was affected by irrigation regime and nitrogen rate. Radiation use efficiency was in the range of 1.97 (I60N0 treatment) to 2.66 g/MJ (I100 N150 treatment). The highest and lowest of radiation absorbed were obtained in I100 N150 and I60N0 respectively. The highest of nitrogen use efficiency of agronomic (47.5 kg/kg) and uptake (1.6 kg/kg) were observed in I100N0 treatment and the highest of nitrogen use efficiency of physiologic was obtained I80N0. Nitrogen uptake in harvested biomass increased with additional N fertilizer application. The nitrogen uptake increased from ∼65 kg/ha at I60N0 treatment to ∼280 kg/ha for I100N150 treatments.

Conclusion: In this study, an inverse relationship was observed between radiation use efficiency and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency. The results of the experiment showed that the application of higher nitrogen rate was not the appropriate strategy for compensating for the reduced grain yield under low irrigation.

Keywords


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