Nitrogen Management for Older versus Modern Corn Hybrids

Tony J. Vyn, S. Mueller, K. Chen, R.A. Omonode, T.D. West, A. West, Farmers and Other Students

Purdue University

Presentation to Fluid Technology RoundupIn Council Bluffs, Iowa, on December 6, 2016

Research Context:On-going Experiments with Strip-Till and No-till Corn

and Associated Management Options: 1. Nutrient Placement, Rate, Timing, and Source

2. Corn Management (hybrid, plant density, rotation)3. Greenhouse gas emissions from different N managements

Cooperative Planting Speed Studies with Deere at Purdue (ExactEmerge) in 2015 and 2016

(Comparison of 5, 7.5 and 10 mph)

2016 ExactEmerge TrialCooperator: Greg Gilbert, Romney, IN

24-row 30” ExactEmerge vs. JD 1770 Precision SS 20/20 at 2-3 speeds and 2 populations

2016 ExactEmerge TrialCooperator: Greg Gilbert, Romney, IN

100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

260

32,000 plants/acre 38,000 plants/acre

Grain Yelds (bu/acre)

EE, 5 mph EE, 7.5 mph EE, 10 mph2 SS 20/20,5 mph SS, 7 mph

Avg. grain yield = 241.4 bu/acre

Modern Hybrids, Stress Toleranceand N + H2O Management?

Whole-plant, grain, cob and stover nutrient (macro- and micro-) determination at maturity

Summary of Corn Hybrid Changes Over Time

MeasuredParameter

Old Era1942-1990

(mean=1984)

New Era1991-2011

(mean=2001)Mean N Rate (lb/Acre) 126 125

Plant Density/Acre 22,800 28,800

Yield (bu/acre) 115 144

N Use Efficiency (PFP) 58 66

N Internal Efficiency (NIE) 49.7 56.0

Grain Harvest Index (HI) 47.6 49.8

N Harvest Index (NHI) 63.1 63.8

Grain N % 1.33 1.20

Ciampitti and Vyn (2012, Review Paper, Field Crops Research 133: 48-67)

Old Era New Era

Pla

nt N

Ac

cum

ula

tio

n (

lbs

acr

e-1

)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200 R1 N Uptake Post-Silkng N Uptake

n=281 n=427

Higher and Later N Uptake in Modern Corn Hybrids

Source: S. M. Mueller and T.J. Vyn 2016 (Frontiers in Plant Science)

Mean N rates in lbs N acre-1: 151 153

45.7

101.3

110.1

63.5

Old Era New EraG

rain

Yie

ld (

bu

acr

e-1

)0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

n=263 n=335

Old EraNew Era

126

169

Plant Density and N Rate Impacts on Grain Yield (average of 2 hybrids, 2 locations and 2010-2011)

Post-flowering uptake of N,P, K, S in response to plant density and N rates

Source: Ciampitti et al., 2013. Agron. J.

Timing and Source of N Uptake by Plants and Grain

N

N

N

Ciampitti et al., 2013 Agronomy Journal

Photo: ACRE, 2014

Study of Dekalb Hybrids from 1967 to 2005 and TheirResponse Changes to Nitrogen and Plant Density Management

(2012-2014)

West Lafayette, IN, N rate effect (2013-2014)

Slope: 50N: 1.1 ns, R² = 0.88***

200N: 1.6 ns, R2 = 0.95***

0

50

100

150

200

250

1960 1980 2000 2020

Gra

in Y

ield

(bu/a

c)

Era

50N 200N

Linear (50N) Linear (200N)

Source: Keru Chen et al., Field Crops Research, 2016

West Lafayette, IN, density effect on grain yield response to Dekalb hybrid era (2013-2014)

Slope: 22000 pls/ac: 1.1 b, R² = 0.83***

32000 pls/ac: 1.5 a, R2 = 0.93***

42000 pls/ac: 1.5 a, R2 = 0.97 ***

0

50

100

150

200

250

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010Era

22000pls/ac 32000 pls/ac 42000 pls/ac

Source: Keru Chen et al., Field Crops Research, 2016

Hybrid

(commercial release

year)

Grain Yield

(bushels/acre)

Total Plant N

Uptake

(pounds/ac)

Post-silk Plant N

Uptake

(% of final total

uptake)

DKC61-69VT3 (2005) 226 240 37

DKC61-72RR (2005) 225 244 38

DKC XL72AA (1975) 189 203 30

Effects of two “modern” hybrids (2005) versus a common older hybrid (1975)on corn grain yield, total N uptake, and post-flowering stage N uptake

when N rate = 200 pounds N/acre (mean of 3 plant populations from 22,000 to 42,000/acre and 3 site-years in NW + NC Indiana in 2012-2013).

Data Source: K. Chen (Ph.D. Student) & T.J. Vyn

Sparrow Model - USGS

v20160130

19

170 167175 179

199 203211

163 159167 171

189 192202

0

50

100

150

200

Sandy WC/SW NW/NC SE C NE EC

Tota

l ap

plie

d N

(lb

s /

ac)

EONR AA EONR UAN

Source: J. Camberato & R. Nielsen, Purdue, ~ 180 trials statewide, 2006 – 2014

Non-irrig.

Medium- & fine-textured soils

Economic Optimum N Rates for Corn after Soybean in Indiana (Late-spring timing)Assumptions: AA $565/t or UAN $270/t and $3.50/bu corn

Sidedress UAN and Instinct™ Application (2010-2016)

2015 Corn Yield Response to N Rate and Nitrification Inhibitor in 42nd Year of Tillage Systems for a

Corn-soybean Rotation (West Lafayette, IN)

020406080

100120140160180200220240

Moldboard Plow Chisel Plow Fall Strip-Till No-Till

20 N 220 N 220 N + Instinct

Corn Yield(bu/acre)

2016 Corn Yield Response to N Rate and Nitrification Inhibitor in 43rd Year of Tillage Systems for a

Corn-soybean Rotation (West Lafayette, IN)

020406080

100120140160180200220240260

Moldboard Plow Chisel Plow Fall Strip-Till No-Till

20 N 220 N 200 N + Instinct

Corn Yield(bu/acre)

Global Maize Trial to Compare “Farmer Practice” versus “Ecological Intensification” (2012 – 2016)

1. Farmer Practice + 0 N2. Farmer Practice + 100 N3. Farmer Practice + 160 N

(all at 31,000 plants/acre)

1. Ecological Intensification + 0 N2. Ecological Intensification + 160 N3. Ecological Intensification + 160 + 60 N

(all at 38,000 plants/acre, plus Instinct®II nitrification inhibitor andThioSul since 2012, and Aspire® in 2015-2016)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

Farmer Practice Ecological Intensification

Zero N Intermediate N (100 or 160) High N (160 or 220)

144

212

Grain Yield Response to Ecological IntensificationManagement in 2015 (West Lafayette, IN)

e

d

c

e

b

a

Yield(bu/acre)

72

170

73

188

Source: Vyn, West and Omonode, 2016, unpublished

Cumulative Seasonal N2O Loss from E.I. Approach to Corn Management in 2015 (West Lafayette, IN)

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Cum

ula

tive N

2O

(kg N

ha

-1)

Date

Cumulative N2O Loss per unit area

FP-0N

FP-112NFP-180NEI-0N

EI-180N+IEI-250N+I

5/22/15 = UAN side-dressed 6/10/15 = 2nd split N

100 N160 N

160 N160 + 60 N

Source: Omonode and Vyn, 2016, unpublished

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

260

Farmer Practice Ecological Intensification

Zero N Intermediate N (100 or 160) High N (160 or 220)

199

239

Grain Yield Response to Ecological IntensificationManagement in 2016 (West Lafayette, IN)

Yield(bu/acre)

103

231

87

230

Source: Vyn, West and Omonode, 2016, unpublished

Time trend in accumulating N2O losses in 2016

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Cum

ula

tive

Daily

N2O

(kg

N h

a-1

)

Sampling Date

FP-0N FP-112N

FP-180N EI-0N

EI-180N EI-250N+NP

Cumulative N2O Losses to date in 2016

0.627

1.6471.596

0.767

1.627

2.135

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

FP/0N FP/112N FP/180N EI/0N EI/112N EI/250S+NP

Cum

ula

tive N

2O

(kg

N h

a-1

)

Cumulative N2O Emissions (GM, 2016)

What About Late-Season N?

Photo by Mike Shuter, 2014

Are there greater yield and economic benefits from “late” nutrient applications with modern hybrids

and higher plant densities?

“Rescue N” versus “Late-Split N”

• Rescue N means adding more N fertilizer after the entire N rate has already been applied because of excessive N loss

• Late-split N means intentionally delaying application of the last 20-30% of total Nto after the V10 stage, but usually before R1 stage. It may be variable rate applied.

Late-Split N Applications with Older versus “Modern” Pioneer Hybrids (2014-2016)

Methodology

Main Treatment: N rates

Treat. Name

Lbs N V3-V4

Lbs N V12-V14

0 0

140 140

180 180

220 220

180S 140 40

220S 180 40

Sub-Treatment: Hybrid (Release year)

1. Pioneer 3394 (1991)

2. Pioneer 3335 (1995)

3. Pioneer 1498 HR (2012)

4. Pioneer 1360 HR (2014)

Corn Yield Response to N Rate and Late-Split N in 2014 (Wanatah, IN)

32,500 plants/acre

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

260

1360 1498 3335 3394

Gra

in Y

ield

Bu/A

cre

New Versus 20-year Old Pioneer Hybrids

Grain Yield Response to N Rate and Late-split N

0 140 180 220 180L 220L

N Rate(N Timing)

180 140+40 220 180+40

Gra

in Y

ield

(b

u/a

cre

)

200

210

220

230

240

250

(V3) (V3)(V3+V12) (V3+V12)

Preliminary Corn Yield and N Uptake Responses

to Late-Split N in 2014-2015

S.M. Brooks and T. J. Vyn, 2014, unpublished1 hybrid (P1498), 1 location

N Rate (pounds/acre)S.M. Brooks and T. J. Vyn, 2016, unpublished

Average of 4 hybrids

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

140 180 140 + 40LS

N Fertilizer Recovery %

“Late-split N” Response with Pioneer 1360 in 2015

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

0 N 140 N 180 N 220 N 180L N 220L N

Yield(bu/acre)

Hybrid Recovery of Late-Season N Applications?

Pioneer Hybrid Yield Resiliency in Response to UAN applied at the R1 stage versus the

V5 stage (West Lafayette, 2016)

020406080

100120140160180200220240260

1976 1995 2003 2016

0 N V5 @ 200 N R1 @ 200 N

Source: Mueller and Vyn, unpublished, 2016

GrainYield(bu/acre)

Hybrid Introduction Year

Fertigation N Opportunities?

Timing of last N application (50 pounds/acre) in Irrigated Corn(mean of P1498 and P1360 at 2 populations in 2015)

180185190195200205210215220225230235

V6 V10 V14 V18 V6 V10 V14 V18

30000 40000

Pop x Ntiming

R1 R1

Yields bu/acre

Nitrogen Timing in Continuous Corn on Irrigated Sandy Soil (LaCrosse, IN) with DKC66-42 in 2016

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

20 UAN 120 N 170 N 220 N 270100% at Plant 50% at Plant + V6 Last 50 lbs @ V12

In-season Soil Sampling for NO3 and NH4 after banded N applications virtually impossible!

(example from V12 stage)

0 100 150 200 250At-Plant

0 100 150 200 250Sidedress at V6

In-season Soil Sampling for NO3 and NH4 after banded N applications virtually impossible!

(example from VT stage)

0 100 150 200 250At-Plant

0 100 150 200 250Sidedress at V6

On-farm Studies with Intentional Late-Season N applications of 30 to 50 pounds

N

Recent Corn Yields Relative to Ear-leaf Sufficiency Levels for N, P, K, and S

P. Kovacs and Vyn, unpublished

Conclusions: • Modern hybrids take up more total N at the same N rates, and

more post-silking than old hybrids, so there could be more

yield and N efficiencies to gain with late split N.

• More rate/timing etc. research needed on intentional late-split

N applications and multiple-position nutrient placement to

increase nutrient availability over the critical uptake periods.

• We need more research focus on plant nutrient availability in

soil to late season corn growth (nutrient rate, efficiencies,

timing, ...).

Funding:Indiana Corn Marketing Council Dupont-Pioneer Dow AgroSciences (2009- )4R Nutrient StewardshipThe Mosaic CompanyMonsanto Company

Equipment:John Deere Cropping Systems Unit

Seed:Pioneer Hi-Bred, Int’l.

MonsantoDow AgroSciences

Acknowledgments

Questions?