Corn Yields with Fall, Spring, and Sidedress Nitrogen¹

Abstract

Abstract Studies in central and northern Illinois at 4 locations and 12 location‐years were conducted with 5 rates of N applied in the fall and as spring‐preplant. Sidedress N was also included at 1 of the 4 locations for 4 years. Relative efficiency of the times of application was calculated by dividing the corn ( Zea mays L.) yield increase from a given rate of N added at one time by the yield increase from the same rate of N applied at another time. At the Carthage and Hartsburg locations the 3‐year average relative efficiencies of fall‐ versus spring‐applied N are about 0.8 and 0.9 (fall was 80 and 90% as effective as spring) at N rates of 67 and 134 kg/ha, respectively. Fall and spring N were about equally effective at 201 and 268 kg/ha of N. There was generally little yield response to N rates greater than 201 kg/ha at Carthage and Hartsburg. Fall and spring N gave similar corn yields for all rates of N at Urbana. For the 4‐year average at DeKalb, sidedress N was the most effective, spring N was intermediate, and fall‐applied N was the least effective. The difference between spring and sidedress N was less than that between fall and spring N. There was considerable year‐to‐year variation in relative efficiency. The importance of the time at which conditions suitable for N loss occur is discussed.