Growth and yield responses in maize to split and delayed fertilizer applications on sandy soils under high rainfall regimes

Abstract

The yield of maize (Zea mays L.) on sandy soils with high rainfall regimes is generally low due to poor nutrient use efficiency. Split and delayed basal fertilizer applications are possible strategies to improve the crop yield and reduce nutrient loss through leaching in sandy soils, but their effectiveness under high rainfall regimes to produce a maize growth response needs further investigation. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of fertilizer application methods on the growth, yield and agronomic characteristics of maize on a sandy soil with approximately 1,350 mm of rainfall during crop growth. Field experiments were conducted on Oxic Paleustults (Korat series) with a low cation exchange capacity (CEC) of 2–4 cmol kg–1. Three to four split applications of the fertilizer increased the grain yield from 2.7 to 3.3–4.5 Mg ha–1. There was a greater crop growth rate (CGR) and relative growth rate (RGR) with the split applications of fertilizer during 30–60 d after emergence (DAE). The highest agronomic efficiency (AE) resulted from a three-split application. However, application of fertilizer later than 45 DAE had only a low effective rate. Delaying the basal fertilizer application to 7–15 DAE increased the grain yield to 3.5–3.7 Mg ha–1, whereas a pre–planting application produced a yield of 2.7 Mg ha–1. Delaying the basal fertilizer application to 7–15 DAE improved the CGR, RGR and AE. These results indicated that fertilizer applications to minimize nutrient loss increased the growth and nutrient use efficiency of maize on sandy soil in a high rainfall regime