Effects of nitrogen application method and weed control on corn yield and yield components.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Agronomy
• Crop Science

Background:

• Weed competition and suboptimal nitrogen fertilization significantly reduce corn yield and yield components.
• Effective weed management and efficient nitrogen utilization are crucial for maximizing crop productivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of different nitrogen fertilizer application methods and weed control strategies on corn yield and its components.
• To identify the optimal combination of nitrogen fertilization and weed control for enhanced corn production.

Main Methods:

• A split-plot experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications.
• Nitrogen application (none, broadcasting, banding, spraying) served as the main plot factor.
• Weed control methods (no control, Equip herbicide, hand weeding, Equip herbicide + hand weeding) were the subplot factor.

Main Results:

• Nitrogen fertilizer application significantly affected grain yield, forage yield, 100-seed weight, harvest index, grain number per row, and cob weight.
• Banding nitrogen fertilizer increased grain yield by 91.4%, demonstrating improved nitrogen utilization efficiency.
• Integrated weed control (Equip herbicide + hand weeding) resulted in a 126% increase in grain yield compared to the weedy control.

Conclusions:

• Both nitrogen fertilizer management and weed control are critical factors influencing corn productivity.
• The combination of banding nitrogen fertilizer and integrated weed control (Equip herbicide + hand weeding) achieved the highest corn grain yield (6758 kg/ha).
• Effective weed management is essential to mitigate yield losses caused by weed competition in corn cultivation.