Methods to quantify the nitrogen derived from the fertilizer in maize applying blends of controlled-release and NBPT-treated urea

Abstract

The use of ¹⁵N tracers in blends of N-fertilizers contributes to determining the N derived from each N-fertilizer in the plant, improving the recommendation in the field. However, to evaluate the contribution of two ¹⁵N-labeled fertilizers to maize nutrition is an expensive process, and it is challenging to manufacture ¹⁵N-labeled controlled-release urea (CRU) considering a polymer-sulfur coated urea (PSCU). The objective of this study was to evaluate, in a field experiment, two methods to quantify the N derived from the PSCU (NdfPSCU) in maize plant using two blends (70% PSCU + 30% urea (U) and 30% PSCU + 70% U) applied in three ways (incorporated, broadcast and split application). The first method quantifies the NdfPSCU by subtracting the total N uptake in the N treatment by the sum of the N uptake in the control treatment (without N-fertilizer application) and the N derived from the U (NdfU) in the plant quantified with ¹⁵N. The second method quantifies the NdfPSCU using ¹⁵N (precise and direct method). Despite the first method is less expensive than the second it underestimated the NdfPSCU in four maize growth stages in Rhodic Eutrustox soil, being necessary the use of ¹⁵N in the PSCU to quantify the NdfPSCU with blends of PSCU + U.

Keywords:

• Zea Mays L.
• polymer-sulfur coated urea
• stable isotope
• ¹⁵N

Acknowledgments

To the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) (grant # 2017/25813-5 and grant # 2017/24516-7), FEALQ (grant # 65307), Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture (CENA/USP), and Compass Minerals Plant Nutrition (now ICL) for the financial support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.