Objectives We studied the potential of further increasing maize yield through optimizing nutrient application mode and enhancing plant density, in condition of not increasing or even reducing the nitrogen fertilizer input, in order to provide theoretical guidance for the efficient utilization of nutrients in the super-high-yielding condition of spring maize.

Methods The field experiment was conducted from 2005 to 2013 at the Station of Super High Nutrient Management in Nong’an of Jilin Province. Conventional high yield nitrogen management (HYNM) and super high yield nitrogen management (SHYNM) modes were set under the field conditions. The tested maize cultivar was hybrid ‘XY335’ and ‘ZD958’. The uptake, distribution and transport characteristics of N, P and K in maize were compared, and the yield composition were investigated based on the regional data.

Results Through three years of SHYNM in the black soil area of the middle of northeast China, the yield of XY335 achieved 15017 kg/hm² under rain-fed conditions, the ear number, kernel number and 1000-kernel weight of the maize were 76154 ears/hm², 583 and 337.9 g, the relative demand of N and K increased obviously, compared with the maize under HYNM in the same area. For the maize under SHYNM, the two peaks of N uptake were from V6 to V12 and from R1 to R3, the peak of P uptake was from R1 to R3, and the peak of K uptake was from V6 to V12. Under both the experiment and field demonstration of SHYNM, the nutrient accumulation after flowering and the contribution rate to grain nutrient showed significantly increase, the partial productivity of N, P and K could reach as high as 50.2 kg/kg, 100.5 kg/kg and 100.5 kg/kg at the yield level of 15000 kg/hm². Compared the two cultivars, the yield of XY335 was higher than that of ZD958. The transfer efficiency of plant nutrients to grain and the accumulations of N, P and K in grain of XY335 were higher than those of ZD958.

Conclusions The super high yield nutrient management is focused on the principle of “reducing and control the amount of fertilizer, applying nitrogen in sections, applying phosphorus and potassium before flowering”, which could ensure the dry matter accumulation and slow down the senility of leaves in the late growing stage of maize. Through reasonable increase of density and combing necessary chemical control, more ears could be harvested without affecting 1000-kenel weight and gain number per ear, which guarantee the maize yield as high as 14500–15000 kg/hm² and more efficient NPK fertilizer efficiencies in the black soil area under rainfed condition.