Efficiency of Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization in Winter Wheat under Pannonian Climate Conditions

Gerhard Moitzi, Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner, Hans-Peter Kaul and Helmut Wagentristl
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Gerhard Moitzi: Experimental Farm Groß-Enzersdorf, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Schloßhofer Straße 31, 2301 Groß-Enzersdorf, Austria
Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner: Department of Crop Sciences, Institute of Agronomy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria
Hans-Peter Kaul: Department of Crop Sciences, Institute of Agronomy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria
Helmut Wagentristl: Experimental Farm Groß-Enzersdorf, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Schloßhofer Straße 31, 2301 Groß-Enzersdorf, Austria

Agriculture, 2020, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-19

Abstract: Improvements in nitrogen (N) use efficiency in crop production are important for addressing the triple challenges of food security, environmental degradation and climate change. The three fertilizers, calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), urea (Urea) and stabilized urea (Urea stab ), were applied at a rate of 160 kg N ha −1 with two or three splits to winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) in the Pannonian climate region of eastern Austria. On average, over all fertilization treatments, the grain yield (GY) increased by about a quarter and the grain N concentration (GNC) doubled compared to the control without fertilization. Consequently, the grain N yield (NY GRAIN ) was increased with N fertilization by 154%. The GY increased due to a higher grain density with no differences between N fertilizers but with a tendency of a higher grain yield with three compared to two splits. Three splits also slightly increased the GNC and consequently the NY GRAIN of CAN and Urea stab in one year. The removal of N fertilizer with the NY GRAIN (N surplus) was higher than the amount of applied fertilizer. Fertilization decreased the N use efficiency (NUE), the N uptake efficiency (NUpE) and the N utilization efficiency (NUtE) but increased the soil mineral nitrate (NO 3 -N) at harvest and the apparent N loss (ANL). Three compared to two applications resulted in a higher NO 3 -N at harvest but also a lower N surplus due to partly higher NY GRAIN . Consequently, the ANL was lower with three compared to two splits. Also, the NUpE and the apparent N recovery efficiency (ANRE) were higher with three splits. The best N treatment regarding highest above-ground biomass yield with lowest N surplus, N balance and ANL was the three-split treatment (50 CAN, 50 CAN, 60 liquid urea ammonium nitrate). Three splits can, under semi-arid conditions, be beneficial when aiming high-quality wheat for bread-making and also for reducing the N loss. Whereas, two splits are recommended when aiming only at high GY, e.g., for ethanol-wheat production.

Keywords: winter wheat; mineral N fertilizer; N splitting; crop yield; N yield; apparent N loss; N use efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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