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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #124848
Title: INTERACTIONS OF WATER AND NITROGEN IN CORN PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Author
item Hatfield, Jerry
item Prueger, John

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/25/2001
Publication Date: 10/25/2001
Citation: HATFIELD, J.L., PRUEGER, J.H. INTERACTIONS OF WATER AND NITROGEN IN CORN PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AGRONOMY MEETINGS. 2001. CD-ROM. MADISON, WI.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Yield variation across production fields is large and it has been assumed that the amount of variation and the pattern of variation is related to differences in soil water holding capacity and seasonal precipitation. There have been no studies that have quantified this effect by measuring crop water use in different soils within production fields. Observations of daily crop water use in different soils with different nitrogen management treatments have been observed in corn (Zea mays L.) fields in central Iowa since 1997. Crop yields varied with soil type and N management because of the seasonal pattern in crop water use. Low organic matter soils exhibited water stress and reduced water use during grain filling. Nitrogen management interacts with crop water use patterns and in central Iowa fields the optimum N rate was 100 kg ha-**1. Understanding these interactions has allowed us to develop N management strategies that increase both water and nitrogen use efficiency.