TITLE:
Nitrogen Fertilization on Maize Sowing: Plant Growth and Seed Vigor
AUTHORS:
Cristian Troyjack, João Roberto Pimentel, Ítala Thaísa Dubal Padilha, Ruddy Alvaro Veliz Escalera, Lanes Beatriz Acosta Jaques, Felipe Koch, Manoela Andrade Monteiro, Gustavo Henrique Demari, Vinicius Jardel Szareski, Ivan Ricardo Carvalho, Luis Osmar Braga Schuch, Tiago Zanatta Aumonde, Tiago Pedó
KEYWORDS:
Emergence Speed, Net Assimilation Rates, Relative Growth Rates, Zea mays L., Vigor
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.9 No.1,
January
17,
2018
ABSTRACT: The management of fertilization in maize plants is a
preponderant factor in the search for higher yields and obtaining quality
seeds. In this sense, the study of nitrogen (N) management is predominant in
improving the efficiency of its application. The objective of this study was to evaluate the
growth, partition assimilation and vigor expression of maize seeds submitted at
different doses of nitrogen applied at sowing. The treatments were constituted
by different doses of nitrogen fertilization at sowing, being: 25%, 50%, 75%
and 100% of the recommended dose for the crop, according to the recommendation
of nitrogen fertilization. The plants were collected at regular intervals of 21
days after sowing until the end of the growth cycle. For the analysis of growth
and partition of dry matter between the organs, the accumulation of dry matter
and leaf area was measured. The
experimental design was randomized blocks in a 4 × 7
factorial scheme (four N rates at sowing and seven collection times with three
replications). The maize
plants under the influence of nitrogen fertilization at sowing presented
differential growth and distinct responses in the assimilated partition between
their structures, with the intensity dependent on the dose used. Plants grown
using 75% of the recommended dose of N at sowing had a higher relative growth rate, with more pronounced
effects compared to the other doses. The expression of maize seed vigor
increases to an increase of 82.5% N at sowing.