Research Reviews - Response to Fertilizer Banding

RESEARCH REVIEWS
Response to Fertilizer Banding
Ken Hough, Director, Research and Market Development, OCPA

An experiment to evaluate the effect of various fertilizer banding treatments was conducted by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) researchers Lianne Dwyer and Baoluo Ma on a clay loam soil at the Eastern Cereals and Oilseeds Research Centre (ECORC), Ottawa in 1998 (Central Experimental Farm) and 1999 (Greenbelt Research Farm).

The seven treatments were as follows:

100 per cent recommended NPK, as broadcast (BC) application plus starter two inches to the side,
100 per cent recommended NPK, as single band (SB) four inches to side and two inches deep,
100 per cent recommended NPK, as double band (DB) four inches both sides and two inches deep,
60 per cent recommended NPK, as broadcast (BC) application plus starter two inches to the side,
60 per cent recommended NPK, as single band (SB) four inches to side and two inches deep,
60 per cent recommended NPK, as double band (DB) four inches both sides and two inches deep,
0 NPK

In both years the 100 per cent recommended rates were 135, 45 and 45 kg/ha of N, P and K respectively. Seeding density was 26,000 plants per acre in both years. Cargill 1877 (2550 CHU) was planted May 12 in 1998 and NK2555Bt (2700 CHU) was chosen in 1999. Plots (three replicates of each treatment) were 12 rows wide (30-inch rows) and were 355 feet long in 1998, 500 feet long in 1999.

In addition to grain yield, harvest moisture and test weight, measurements on emergence/stand establishment, shoot and root dry matter at the sixth-leaf growth stage (1998 only), leaf area index, and canopy light reflectance at silking were obtained from each plot.

Grain yield results for 1998 and 1999 are presented in Figure 1.

Highlights of the research results are summarized as follows:

The 100 per cent DB treatment resulted in the highest grain yield in both years (154 and 148 bu/ac in 1998 and 1999, respectively).
In 1998, the 60 per cent DB treatment produced yields which were lower, but not significantly less than the 100 per cent DB treatment, and equal to the broadcast and single banded treatments at the 100 per cent fertility level.
In 1999 there was no significant yield difference among any of the six fertilized treatments.
In both years, the unfertilized plots resulted in the lowest yields, significantly lower than any of the fertilized treatments.
Integrated measurement of leaf area index and leaf greenness (canopy reflectance) at silking could be used to predict final grain yield differences.
There was no statistical difference among treatments for test weight, and other crop measurements (shoot and root dry matter and leaf area at silking) were not correlated to grain yield.

This research was sponsored by the Ontario Corn Producers’ Association and the Carleton Soil and Crop Improvement Association. The contributions of AAFC-ECORC researchers, their facilities and matching funding from the AAFC Matching Investment Initiative are greatly appreciated.