Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Nitrogen in Maize under Drip Fertigation
K. N. Raja Kumar *
Department of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Administrative Office, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur, 522 034, India.
A. Mani
Department of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Administrative Office, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur, 522 034, India.
G. Ravi Babu
Department of Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, Dr. NTR College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla, 522 101, India.
CH. Sujani Rao
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Lam, Guntur, 522 034, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Field experiment was conducted during kharif 2018, rabi 2018-19 and kharif 2019 at Dr. NTR College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh to study the spatial and temporal distribution of nitrogen in maize. The experiment was laid out in split plot design consisting of three irrigation levels 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 ETc and four nitrogen levels consisting of fertigation levels 80%, 100%, 120% RDN on sandy clay loam soil. There were significant variation due to irrigation and fertility levels at all the stages of crop growth. Generally, the availability of nitrogen increased when irrigation as well as fertilizer level increased up tomaturity stage. The maximum available nitrogen was in the depth of 0- 30 cm range and then decreased vertically.
Keywords: Nutrient distribution, drip fertigation, maize crop