Corn hybrid response to starter fertilizer

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Date
2022-05
Authors
Tran, Dickson
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Abstract
Two studies were conducted, first to assess differential response of corn hybrids to starter fertilizer in terms of early plant growth, maturity, phosphorus (P) uptake, grain moisture, grain yield and second, to assess rooting differences between hybrids determined to be either responsive or non-responsive to starter fertilizer. The first study consisted of a field experiment to evaluate corn response to starter nitrogen (N) plus P and starter P alone. Both starter treatments, starter N plus P and starter P alone, resulted in an overall increase in grain yield. However, when responses were analyzed for individual hybrids, the increase in grain yield due to starter N plus P or starter P alone was significant for DKC26-28RIB, but not the other seven hybrids. Differential response in grain moisture was observed at one site-year where grain moisture at harvest with starter P alone was lower for DKC26-28RIB, but higher for DKC33-78RIB, compared to no starter. Hybrids did not differ in early season biomass, P uptake, days required to reach silking, or plant height response to starter N plus P or P alone. In the second study, early seedling root length and root surface area of hybrids were measured and evaluated for their relationship with response to starter N plus P and P alone from the field experiments. Eight hybrids were grown in germination pouches for 11 days at 11.5/8.5°C (16hr/8hr) without light or supplemental nutrients. Digital images were captured and analyzed to measure root length and surface area. At 11 days, root length and surface area were related to percent increase in grain yield due to starter N plus P, with R2 values of 0.68 and 0.67, respectively. However, root length and surface area were not related to percent grain yield increase due to starter P alone. Furthermore, root length and surface area were not related to percent increase in early season biomass, P uptake, days to silking, plant height, or grain moisture at harvest due to starter N plus P or P alone.
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Corn, Phosphorus, Starter fertilizer, Zea mays L, Hybrid, Root length, Root surface area, Nitrogen, Grain moisture, Early season biomass, Maturity
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