Abstract
Corn (Zea mays L.) is important for food security in much of Ecuador. Small-scale farmers are using nitrogen (N) fertilizer without technical advice based on soil, crop, and climatologic data. The literature lacks studies where tools that can quickly assess management practices’ effects on N uptake, N use efficiency, and risk of N losses to the environment in high-altitude mountain systems are validated. We tested corn response to fertilizer application and the capability of the Nitrogen Index to assess N dynamics within a conservation agriculture production system in a mountainous area of Ecuador. Responses to fertilizer were tested across six sites in the Bolivar province. Steep slopes and declining soil productivity make conservation agriculture a promising option in this area. However, N availability is limiting for corn production and better information is needed to optimize the system. Corn responded to fertilizer application with an average increase of 30 kg ha−1 corn grain per every 1 kg of N ha−1 applied (P < 0.001). The data suggest that N leaching increased with fertilizer application for areas with precipitation greater than 900 mm. The Nitrogen Index for Ecuador was able to quickly assess management practices’ effects on N uptake (P < 0.001), N use efficiency (P < 0.001), and risk of N losses. It could be used to increase use of best management practices in these systems.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Corn grain increased by an average of 30 kg ha−1 per 1 kg N ha−1 applied in response to fertilizer application.
- Taxon
- Corn
Zea mays subsp. mayse1 - Treatment
- fertilizer applicatione1
- Outcome
- corn graine1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 30 kg ha−1e1
- Setting
- Bolivar provincee2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Corn responded to fertilizer application with an average increase of 30 kg ha−1 corn grain per every 1 kg of N ha−1 applied (P < 0.001)”
e2“Responses to fertilizer were tested across six sites in the Bolivar province”
Claim · model-written summary
As the data suggest, N leaching increased with fertilizer application in areas with precipitation greater than 900 mm.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Treatment
- fertilizer applicatione3
- Outcome
- N leachinge3
- Direction
- increasede3
- Setting
- areas with precipitation greater than 900 mme3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Corn (Zea mays L.) is important for food security in much of Ecuador”
e3“The data suggest that N leaching increased with fertilizer application for areas with precipitation greater than 900 mm”
Claim · model-written summary
The Nitrogen Index was able to assess management practices’ effects on N uptake, with significant effects.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Outcome
- N uptakee4
- Comparator
- management practicese4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Corn (Zea mays L.) is important for food security in much of Ecuador”
e4“The Nitrogen Index for Ecuador was able to quickly assess management practices’ effects on N uptake (P < 0.001), N use efficiency (P < 0.001), and risk of N losses”
Claim · model-written summary
The Nitrogen Index was able to assess management practices’ effects on N use efficiency, with significant effects.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Outcome
- N use efficiencye4
- Comparator
- management practicese4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Corn (Zea mays L.) is important for food security in much of Ecuador”
e4“The Nitrogen Index for Ecuador was able to quickly assess management practices’ effects on N uptake (P < 0.001), N use efficiency (P < 0.001), and risk of N losses”
Claim · model-written summary
The Nitrogen Index was able to assess management practices’ effects on the risk of N losses.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Outcome
- risk of N lossese4
- Comparator
- management practicese4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Corn (Zea mays L.) is important for food security in much of Ecuador”
e4“The Nitrogen Index for Ecuador was able to quickly assess management practices’ effects on N uptake (P < 0.001), N use efficiency (P < 0.001), and risk of N losses”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend that the Nitrogen Index could be used to increase use of best management practices in these corn systems.
- Taxon
- CornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Outcome
- use of best management practicese5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Corn (Zea mays L.) is important for food security in much of Ecuador”
e5“It could be used to increase use of best management practices in these systems”
The same questions in other papers
fertilization · organism · Zea mays (maize)Results differ
136 papers in the same direction as this paper · 20 in the opposite direction · 5 reporting no difference from an alternative
- negative
- no effect
- no effect
158 papers more in this group
See all 162 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.