N Uptake and Corn Yield as Affected by Applications of Nitrapyrin with Anhydrous Ammonia¹

Abstract

The use of nitrapyrin as a nitrification inhibitor of ammonium fertilizers applied to corn (Zea mays L.) has gained widespread interest. Even though initial nitrification rates are usually decreased by nitrapyrin, its use does not always result in increased grain yield. To evaluate the effects of nitrapyrin applied with anhydrous ammonia on yield and N uptake of corn grown on poorly drained soils, field studies were conducted in Illinois at Urbana, Brownstown, and DeKalb. The soil at Urbana and DeKalb was Typic Haplaquoll and Mollic Albaqualf at Brownstown. Anhydrous ammonia was applied with and without nitrapyrin in the fall and spring. Nitrapyrin and N rates ranged from 0 to 1.12 and 0 to 268 kg/ha, respectively. The addition of nitrapyrin had varied effects on N concentration in the plant tissue and on grain and total dry matter yield; however, these effects were not consistent among N rates, locations, or years. At Urbana, the addition of nitrapyrin increased the N concentration in the plant tissue at the fifth‐leaf growth stage in 1975 by as much as 7% and in the ear leaf at silk in 1976 by as much as 6%, when comparing within N rates and seasons of application. The N concentration in the grain and stover was reduced by as much as 8 and 27%, respectively, by the addition of nitrapyrin at low rates of N. At DeKalb in 1975, nitrapyrin did not affect N in the plant tissue. In 1976, applications of nitrapyrin with fall‐applied N increased N in the ear leaf up to 20% over fall‐applied N without nitrapyrin, and increased it up to the concentration found for spring‐N applications with or without nitrapyrin. At Brownstown in 1975, plants did not respond either to applied N or nitrapyrin. In 1976, plants responded to nitrapyrin, but adverse weather resulted in data that did not follow expected trends. Grain and stover‐yield increases could not be attributed to applied nitrapyrin when N was applied at levels required for maximum economical yield. Soil moisture during both years was not favorable, however, for N losses that would occur normally through leaching and denitrification.

Nitrogen Management Strategies to Reduce Nitrate Leaching in Tile‐Drained Midwestern Soils

“…Although the nitrapyrin treatment did not result in an economic advantage for the spring and split N application treatments, the results indicate that for farmers who continue to fall‐apply N, there is a positive economic return for using nitrapyrin. However, a number of other studies have found no significant yield effect nor economic advantage with the use of nitrapyrin (Hendrickson et al, 1978; Touchton et al, 1979; Blackmer and Sanchez, 1988). The variable results with nitrapyrin use are probably due to differences among factors affecting the microbial process of nitrification (e.g., climate and soil type).…”

Nitrogen Effects on Grain Yield and Yield Components of Leafy and Nonleafy Maize Genotypes

“…Leafy reduced stature genotypes matured faster, yielded more, and were more tolerant to high planting densities than their conventional counterparts when grown under field conditions in Québec (Begna et al, 1997a; Modarres et al, 1998). As RUE increases with leaf N content (Muchow and Sinclair, 1994) and leaf N content increases with N fertilizer rate (Touchton et al, 1979), an understanding of N fertilization‐hybrid interactions is important.…”

N uptake and recovery by onions from peat-mineral fertilizers

“…Nitrification of ammonium fertilizers may be partly controlled by granule size. Nitrifrcation capacity in soils can be reduced by nitrapyrin (Touchton et al 1979). …”