Attainable yield and soil texture as drivers of maize response to nitrogen: a synthesis analysis for Argentina

The most widely used approach for prescribing fertilizer nitrogen (N) recommendations in maize (Zea Mays L.) in Argentina is based on the relationship between grain yield and the available N (kg N ha−1), calculated as the sum of pre-plant soil NO3--N at 0−60 cm depth (PPNT) plus fertilizer N (Nf). However, combining covariates related to crop N demand and soil N supply at a large national scale remains unexplored for this model. The aim of this work was to identify yield response patterns associated to yield environment (crop N demand driver) and soil texture (soil N supply driver). A database of 788 experiments (1980−2016) was gathered and analyzed combining quadratic-plateau regression models with bootstrapping to address expected values and variability on response parameters and derived quantities. The database was divided into three groups according to soil texture (fine, medium and coarse) and five groups based on the empirical distribution of maximum observed yields (from Very-Low = 13.1 Mg ha−1) resulting in fifteen groups. The best model included both, attainable yield environment and soil texture. The yield environment mainly modified the agronomic optimum available N (AONav), with an expected increase rate of ca. 21.4 kg N Mg attainable yield−1, regardless of the soil texture. In Very-Low yield environments, AONav was characterized by a high level of uncertainty, related to a poor fit of the N response model. To a lesser extent, soil texture modified the response curvature but not the AONav, mainly by modifying the response rate to N (Fine > Medium > Coarse), and the N use efficiencies. Considering hypothetical PPNT levels from 40 to 120 kg N ha−1, the expected agronomic efficiency (AENf) at the AONav varied from 7 to 31, and 9–29 kg yield response kg fertilizer N (Nf)−1, for Low and Very-High yield environments, respectively. Similarly, the expected partial factor productivity (PFPNf) at the AONav ranged from 62 to 158, and 55–99 kg yield kg Nf−1, for the same yield environments. These results highlight the importance of combining attainable yield environment and soil texture metadata for refining N fertilizer recommendations. Acknowledging the still low N fertilizer use in Argentina, space exists to safely increasing N fertilizer rates, steering the historical soil N mining profile to a more sustainable agro-environmental scenario in the Pampas.Fil: Correndo, Adrián A.. Kansas State University; Estados UnidosFil: Gutiérrez Boem, Flavio Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: García, Fernando O.. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Carolina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Álvarez, Cristian. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Angeli, Ariel. I+D CREA; ArgentinaFil: Barbieri, Pablo Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Barraco, Mirian Raquel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Berardo, Angel. Laboratorio de Suelo S.a.; ArgentinaFil: Boxler, Miguel. Private Consultant; ArgentinaFil: Calviño, Pablo Antonio. Private Consultant; ArgentinaFil: Capurro, Julia E.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Carta, Héctor. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Caviglia, Octavio Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; ArgentinaFil: Ciampitti, Ignacio Antonio. Kansas State University; Estados UnidosFil: Diaz Zorita, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Díaz Valdéz, Santiago. Bayer Crop Science; ArgentinaFil: Echeverría, Hernán E.. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Espósito, Gabriel Pablo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Ferrari, Manuel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Ferraris, Gustavo Nestor. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Gambaudo, Sebastian Pedro. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Private Consultant; ArgentinaFil: Gudelj, Vicente. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Ioele, Juan P.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Melchiori, Ricardo J. M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Molino, Josefina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Orcellet, Juan Manuel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Pagani, Agustin. Clarion Inc.; ArgentinaFil: Pautasso, Juan Manuel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Reussi Calvo, Nahuel Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Laboratorio de Suelo S.a.; ArgentinaFil: Redel, Matías. Private Consultant; ArgentinaFil: Rillo, Sergio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Rimski-korsakov, Helena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Sainz Rozas, Hernan Rene. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Saks, Matías. Bunge Argentina S.A; ArgentinaFil: Tellería, María Guadalupe. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Ventimiglia, Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Zorzín, Jose L.. Private Consultant; ArgentinaFil: Zubillaga de Sanahuja, María de Las Mercedes. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Salvagiotti, Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros; Argentin