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Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Requirements in No-Tillage and Conventionally Tilled Corn¹

ABSTRACT

The response of corn (Zea mays L.) to four rates each of N, and P, and three rates of K fertilizer was determined under no-tillage and conventional tillage culture. The soil type was Jefferson silt loam, an infertile, acid soil. The experiments were conducted during 3 years of above-average rainfall for the location. In conventional tillage culture the fertilizer was broadcast on turnplowed soil and disked in, while in no-tillage culture it was broadcast and left on the soil surface. The objective was to clarify the relative fertilizer requirements of corn grown by the two tillage methods. Yield, nutrient element removal by the crop, and residual levels of nutrient elements were used to evaluate results. Results obtained by yield and nutrient removal criteria agreed with each other except at the higher rates of P, and K. In these cases considerable P, and K were absorbed without corresponding yield increase. Corn maturity was hastened by no-tillage. It was concluded that at the highest rate of N, and all rates of P, and K tested, no-tillage culture increased the efficiency of the applied fertilizers. The highest yield producing 3-year total rates of N, P, and K tested with no-tillage were 470.8, 67.3, and 215.2 kg/ha, respectively. At these rates the grain yield increases over conventional tillage receiving the same rates were 19.1, 18.3, and 14.6%, respectively. These increases in fertiliezr efficiency are of special value in times of food and fertilizer shortages, such as presently exist.

¹ Paper presented at meeting of Southern Branch of American Society of Agronomy, 3 Feb. 1975, at New Orleans, La.

² Assistant and Associate Professor, respectively, Dep. of Agronomy Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ. Blacksburg, VA 24061.

Received for publication December 14, 1974. Accepted for publication March 27, 1975.