Abstract:
Objectives Traditional maize production uses to apply full doses of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in base, only apply nitrogen fertilizer in base and topdressing. We studied the effects of multiple topdressing of all the NPK fertilizers across maize growing season, by use of the shallow-buried drip irrigation.
Methods Taking spring maize cultivar ‘Dika 159’ as test materials, three field experiments were conducted in 2022 and one in 2023 in four different cities in West Liaohe Plain Irrigation District of Inner Mongolia. Three fertilization treatments, with the same total amount of N, P and K fertilizer amounts (N 270 kg/hm2, P 120 kg/hm2, and K 70.5 kg/hm2), were set: conventional fertilization (CK), topdressing total fertilizer in three times (WF-3), and in six times (WF-6). In addition, no nitrogen (N0), phosphorus (P0), or potassium (K0) treatments were arranged for calculation of fertilizer use efficiency. Plant samples were collected at silking, milk maturity, and maturity stage for analysis of biomass, and NPK contents. At harvest, the yield and yield components were investigated.
Results Compared with CK, the average increments of four experiments in two years in WF-3 and WF-6 treatments were: population biomass by 3.60% and 8.61%, kernel number per ear by 2.78% and 6.37%, 1000-kernel weight by 2.03% and 4.96%, yield by 5.26% and 12.35% through increased of 1000-grain weight and kenal number per ear, and net profits by 7.77% and 12.32%, respectively; N agronomic efficiency by 16.17% and 41.63%, N accumulation in vegetative organs by 8.64% and 9.77%, N export from vegetative organs by 5.61% and 6.57%, post anthesis grain N accumulation by 13.62% and 15.07%; phosphorus agronomic efficiency by 16.24% and 41.76%, post-anthesis grain P accumulation by 13.38% and 24.56%; potassium agronomic efficiency by 16.37% and 41.83%, vegetative organ K accumulation by 10.87% and 13.35%, K export from vegetative organs by 15.07% and 17.96%. In addition, the effects of WF-6 treatment were all significantly higher than WF-3.
Conclusions Split topdressing all the NPK fertilizers boosts dry matter accumulation pre- and post-anthesis stage, improves pre-anthesis nutrient uptake and accumulation and the distribution to grains resulting in notable increases in yield, nutrient efficiency, and economic returns. All the results of four experiments in two years proved the satisfactory effect of topdressing fertilizers in six times by means of drip irrigation for spring maize production in Inner Mongolia.