Login

Proceedings

Find matching any: Reset
Add filter to result:
Evaluating the Potential of Integrated Precision Irrigation and Nitrogen Management for Corn in Minnesota
1A. Elvir Flores, 1Y. Miao, 1V. Sharma, 1L. Lacerda
1. Student
2. Advisor

The environmental impact of irrigated agriculture on ground and surface water resources in Minnesota is of major concern. Previous studies have focused on either precision irrigation or precision nitrogen (N) management, with very limited studies on the integrated precision management of irrigation and N fertilizers, especially in Minnesota. The Dualex Scientific sensor is a leaf fluorescence sensor that has been used to diagnose crop N status during the growing season to guide in-season N management. However, little has been reported on its performance for crop N status diagnosis under different irrigation conditions. The main objectives of this study were to 1) evaluate the potential benefit of variable rate irrigation and N application in terms of corn yield, nitrate-N leaching, crop water productivity, and water and N use efficiencies; and 2) evaluate the performance of the Dualex sensor for diagnosing corn N status under different water supply conditions. Field experiments were conducted in the Sand Plain Research Farm at Becker, Minnesota, and Herman Rosholt farm in Westport, Minnesota in 2020 and 2021. Both sites have coarse-textured soils on vulnerable groundwater areas. The effect of four irrigation levels (full irrigation (FI), i.e., imposing no water stress on the crop, 75% of FI, 50% of FI and rainfed conditions) and six nitrogen rates (0, 78, 157, 235, 314 and 392 kg ha-1) on corn production were evaluated. The experimental design consisted of a split-plot design with four replications where irrigation treatments were the main plot and N-rates were the sub-plot. Dualex sensor data were collected at different growth stages during the growing season. Plant samples were collected at V8 stages and determined for aboveground biomass, plant N concentration and plant N uptake. Data are being analyzed and the results will be presented at the conference.

Keyword: Leaf fluorescence sensor, Nitrogen status diagnosis, Water stress, Variable rate N, Variable rate irrigation