Abstract
Nitrogen (N) and water continue to be the most limiting factors for profitable maize (Zea Mays L.) production in the western US Great Plains. Precision application of N and water has the potential to significantly enhance input use efficiency without impairing yields. The overall objective of this study was to determine the most productive and efficient nitrogen and water management strategy for irrigated maize by using site-specific management zones and a proximal remote sensing approach. This study was conducted over 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 crop growing seasons near Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Six nitrogen rates (0, 56, 112, 168, 224, and 280 kg N ha−1) were applied along experimental strips across three delineated management zones (low, medium, and high productivity). Four rates of irrigation were applied to maize (60%, 80%, 100%, and 120% of evapotranspiration) using a center pivot precision irrigation system equipped with zone control. Optical proximal sensor readings were acquired on all experimental strips four times during the growing season to assess four nitrogen management strategies (uniform, management zone (MZ), remote sensing (RS), and management zone remote sensing (MZRS)) on grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Results from this three-year study showed the significant interaction (p = 0.05) of zone vs. irrigation and irrigation vs. nitrogen across all years. In two of the three years (2016 and 2018), the high productivity zone benefitted from high irrigation rates, demonstrated by 16% and 18% yield increase from the lowest irrigation rate. In 2016, yield plateau was reached at 168 kg N ha−1 with 80% and 100% irrigation rates, whereas the plateau was reached at 112 kg N ha−1 in the 120% irrigation rate. These results demonstrate the possibility of fine-tuning zones, irrigation, and nitrogen to achieve optimum yield. While uniform and MZ nitrogen management strategies produced the highest grain yield, the best NUE was achieved via the RS strategy, followed by the MZ strategy. In this study, the MZRS strategy (combined MZ and RS) did not produce superior yield and NUE as compared to uniform and other strategies. However, there is a tremendous opportunity to fine-tune these two strategies, using other algorithms that are not explored in this study to improve the sustainability of maize production under irrigated conditions.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
In the high productivity zone, high irrigation rates increased maize yield by 16% and 18% over the lowest irrigation rate in two of three years.
- Treatment
- high irrigation ratese1
- Outcome
- yielde1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 16% and 18%e1
- Qualifier
- In two of the three years (2016 and 2018)e1
- Comparator
- lowest irrigation ratee1
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize (Zea Mays L.) production in the western US Great Plains”
e1“In two of the three years (2016 and 2018), the high productivity zone benefitted from high irrigation rates, demonstrated by 16% and 18% yield increase from the lowest irrigation rate”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2016, maize yield plateau was reached at 168 kg N ha−1 with 80% and 100% irrigation rates.
- Treatment
- 80% and 100% irrigation ratese2
- Outcome
- yield plateaue2
- Value
- 168 kg N ha−1e2
- Qualifier
- In 2016e2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize (Zea Mays L.) production in the western US Great Plains”
e2“In 2016, yield plateau was reached at 168 kg N ha−1 with 80% and 100% irrigation rates, whereas the plateau was reached at 112 kg N ha−1 in the 120% irrigation rate”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2016, the plateau was reached at 112 kg N ha−1 under the 120% irrigation rate.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize (Zea Mays L.) production in the western US Great Plains”
e2“In 2016, yield plateau was reached at 168 kg N ha−1 with 80% and 100% irrigation rates, whereas the plateau was reached at 112 kg N ha−1 in the 120% irrigation rate”
Claim · model-written summary
Uniform and MZ nitrogen management strategies produced the highest grain yield.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize (Zea Mays L.) production in the western US Great Plains”
e3“While uniform and MZ nitrogen management strategies produced the highest grain yield, the best NUE was achieved via the RS strategy, followed by the MZ strategy”
Claim · model-written summary
The best NUE was achieved with the remote sensing (RS) strategy, followed by the MZ strategy.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize (Zea Mays L.) production in the western US Great Plains”
e3“While uniform and MZ nitrogen management strategies produced the highest grain yield, the best NUE was achieved via the RS strategy, followed by the MZ strategy”
Claim · model-written summary
The MZRS strategy did not produce superior yield and NUE compared with uniform and other strategies.
- Treatment
- MZRS strategye4
- Outcome
- yield and NUEe4
- Direction
- did not produce superiore4
- Comparator
- uniform and other strategiese4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize (Zea Mays L.) production in the western US Great Plains”
e4“In this study, the MZRS strategy (combined MZ and RS) did not produce superior yield and NUE as compared to uniform and other strategies”
Claim · model-written summary
Significant interactions of zone with irrigation and of irrigation with nitrogen were found across all years (p = 0.05).
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize (Zea Mays L.) production in the western US Great Plains”
e5“Results from this three-year study showed the significant interaction (p = 0.05) of zone vs. irrigation and irrigation vs. nitrogen across all years”
Claim · model-written summary
The results show that zones, irrigation and nitrogen can be fine-tuned to achieve optimum maize yield.
- Outcome
- optimum yielde6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize (Zea Mays L.) production in the western US Great Plains”
e6“These results demonstrate the possibility of fine-tuning zones, irrigation, and nitrogen to achieve optimum yield”
The same questions in other papers
irrigation · yield · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
790 papers in the same direction as this paper · 209 in the opposite direction · 16 reporting no difference from an alternative
- no effect
- positive
- positive
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