Wb. Gordon et al., CORN HYBRID RESPONSE TO STARTER FERTILIZER IN A NO-TILLAGE, DRYLAND ENVIRONMENT, Journal of production agriculture, 10(3), 1997, pp. 401-404
A dryland corn (Zea mays L.) production system that has gained popular
ity in Kansas involves planting as early in the spring as possible so
that pollination occurs under more favorable moisture and temperature
conditions. Cool soils that occur with early planting in high-residue
production systems can reduce nutrient uptake. Starter fertilizer appl
ications have been effective in enhancing nutrient uptake even on soil
s high in available nutrients. Corn hybrids may differ in their respon
se to starter fertilizer. The objective of this study was to evaluate
corn hybrid response to starter fertilizer in a no-tillage, dryland en
vironment. This field experiment was conducted from 1993 to 1995 at th
e North Central Kansas Experiment Field, located near Belleville, on a
Crete silt loam soil (fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Pachic Arguistoll
). Treatments consisted of five corn hybrids and two starter fertilize
r treatments. Fertilizer treatments were starter fertilizer (30 Ib N a
nd 30 Ib P2O5/acre) or no starter fertilizer. Starter fertilizer was a
pplied 2 in. to the side of and 2 in. below the seed at planting. In a
ll 3 yr of the experiment, grain yield, maturity, and total P uptake (
grain plus stover at maturity) were affected by a hybrid x starter fer
tilizer interaction. Starter fertilizer consistently increased yields,
reduced the number of thermal units needed from emergence to midsilk,
and increased total P uptake of Pioneer 3346, Dekalb 636, and Dekalb
591, but had no effect on ICI 8599 and Pioneer 3563. When averaged ove
r the 3 yr of the experiment, starter fertilizer increased grain yield
of responding hybrids (hybrids in which the 3-yr average yield was in
creased by the use of starter fertilizer) by 13 bu/acre. Starter ferti
lizer increased V6 stage above ground dry matter production and N and
P uptake of all hybrids evaluated. Far leaf N and P concentrations als
o were increased by starter fertilizer, regardless of hybrid. Results
of this work show that starter fertilizer can increase grain yield and
be feasible for some hybrids, whereas yields of other hybrids are not
affected.