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A new perspective when examining maize fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency, incrementally.

Newell R Kitchen1, Curtis J Ransom1, James S Schepers2

  • 1USDA-ARS Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research Unit, USDA/ARS, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America.

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|May 11, 2022
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Summary

Average nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency (NUE) in maize is misleading. Incremental NUE (iNUE) shows the last units of N applied yield only 6% NUE, with over 90% lost or remaining in soil, highlighting environmental risks.

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Area of Science:

  • Agricultural Science
  • Soil Science
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • Nitrogen (N) fertilizer use efficiency (NUE) in maize (Zea mays L.) is commonly reported as an average, which can be misleading.
  • Average NUE does not account for diminishing returns at higher N application rates, potentially masking environmental risks and decreasing economic benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce and interpret incremental NUE (iNUE) using empirical data from North America.
  • To analyze the relationship between N fertilization rates and maize grain yield response.
  • To identify factors influencing iNUE and propose improvements for N fertilizer management.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized empirical datasets (n = 189) of maize grain yield response to N fertilizer in North America.
  • Calculated iNUE as the change in NUE with respect to the change in N fertilization.
  • Analyzed the influence of soil texture and growing season water availability on iNUE.

Main Results:

  • The iNUE for N removed with grain at the economic optimal N rate (EONR) was approximately 6%.
  • Over 90% of the last units of N applied were lost to the environment, remained as soil inorganic N, or were captured in plant/soil organic matter.
  • iNUE decreased with finer soil textures and was significantly impacted by water amount and distribution during the growing season, with excessive or uneven rainfall leading to lower iNUE.

Conclusions:

  • High N application rates beyond EONR result in substantial environmental losses and minimal economic gain.
  • Modest N fertilization below EONR, coupled with improved management, can achieve significant NUE improvements (~10%) with minor profit reduction.
  • Understanding iNUE provides a new perspective for enhancing N fertilizer management tools, educational programs, and public policies.