Dry matter and nitrogen accumulation by corn cultivated during winter season with sidedressing and irrigation water nitrogen application

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out in a Kanduidalfic Eutrudox soil at Piracicaba, SP, Brazil (22° 43'S, 47° 25'W) during the winter season to evaluate the dry matter and N accumulation by corn plants as a fuction of 120 kg/ha of N urea-ammonium-nitrate (UAN) applied in band at 13 and 47 days after emergence (dae) at rates of 40 and 80 kg/ha of N, respectively, and by sprinkler irrigation system (fertirrigation) at 34, 49, 64, 82 and 101 dae with respective quantities of 4, 6, 45, 30, and 35 kg/ha of N. A clearer differentiation in N percentage in the fertirrigated plants occurred after 95 dae and consequently plants presented a greater N accumulation until harvest (150 dae). Later N applications provided greater dry matter and N accumulations in shoot, greater N translocation to the grains and greater grain production (5,072 kg/ha) in the fertirrigated crop compared to the band fertilized crop (4,516 kg/ha).