Long-term yield trend and sustainability of rainfed soybean–wheat system through farmyard manure application in a sandy loam soil of the Indian Himalayas

A long-term (30 years) soybean–wheat experiment was conducted at Hawalbagh, Almora, India to study the effects of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on grain yield trends of rainfed soybean (Glycine max)–wheat (Triticum aestivum) system and nutrient status (soil C, N, P and K) in a sandy loam soil (Typic Haplaquept). The unfertilized plot supported 0.56 Mg ha⁻¹ of soybean yield and 0.71 Mg ha⁻¹ of wheat yield (average yield of 30 years). Soybean responded to inorganic NPK application and the yield increased significantly to 0.87 Mg ha⁻¹ with NPK. Maximum yields of soybean (2.84 Mg ha⁻¹) and residual wheat (1.88 Mg ha⁻¹) were obtained in the plots under NPK + farmyard manure (FYM) treatment, which were significantly higher than yields observed under other treatments. Soybean yields in the plots under the unfertilized and the inorganic fertilizer treatments decreased with time, whereas yields increased significantly in the plots under N + FYM and NPK + FYM treatments. At the end of 30 years, total soil organic C (SOC) and total N concentrations increased in all the treatments. Soils under NPK + FYM-treated plots contained higher SOC and total N by 89 and 58% in the 0–45 cm soil layer, respectively, over that of the initial status. Hence, the decline in yields might be due to decline in available P and K status of soil. Combined use of NPK and FYM increased SOC, oxidizable SOC, total N, total P, Olsen P, and ammonium acetate exchangeable K by 37.8, 42.0, 20.8, 30.2, 25.0, and 52.7%, respectively, at 0–45 cm soil layer compared to application of NPK through inorganic fertilizers. However, the soil profiles under all the treatments had a net loss of nonexchangeable K, ranging from 172 kg ha⁻¹ under treatment NK to a maximum of 960 kg ha⁻¹ under NPK + FYM after 30 years of cropping. Depletion of available P and K might have contributed to the soybean yield decline in treatments where manure was not applied. The study also showed that although the combined NPK and FYM application sustained long-term productivity of the soybean–wheat system, increased K input is required to maintain soil nonexchangeable K level.     

长期施有机肥与缺素施肥对潮土微生物活性的影响

利用中国科学院封丘农业生态国家实验站潮士农田生态系统养分平衡长期定位试验地,研究长期施有机肥或缺索施肥对农田土壤呼吸强度及酶活性的影响.结果发现,与不施肥对照(CK)相比.施肥处理均不同程度地提高了土壤的呼吸强度及转化酶、脲酶与磷酸酶活性;从N、P、K平衡施肥角度比较,施有机肥[OM)与有机无机配施(1/20M+1/2NPK)的效果均显著高于施无机肥(p<0.05);从缺素施肥角度分析,缺P显著低于NPK处理(p<0.05),缺N次之,缺K影响较小.结果表明,长期配施有机肥更有利于提高潮土的微生物活性,长期缺施P肥最不利于保育潮土的微生物学质量.     

Long-term application of organic manure and nitrogen fertilizer on N2O emissions, soil quality and crop production in a sandy loam soil

A long-term field experiment was established to determine the influence of mineral fertilizer (NPK) or organic manure (composed of wheat straw, oil cake and cottonseed cake) on soil fertility. A tract of calcareous fluvo-aquic soil (aquic inceptisol) in the Fengqiu State Key Experimental Station for Ecological Agriculture (Fengqiu county, Henan province, China) was fertilized beginning in September 1989 and N₂O emissions were examined during the maize and wheat growth seasons of 2002-2003. The study involved seven treatments: organic manure (OM), half-organic manure plus half-fertilizer N (1/2 OMN), fertilizer NPK (NPK), fertilizer NP (NP), fertilizer NK (NK), fertilizer PK (PK) and control (CK). Manured soils had higher organic C and N contents, but lower pH and bulk densities than soils receiving the various mineralized fertilizers especially those lacking P, indicating that long-term application of manures could efficiently prevent the leaching of applied N from and increase N content in the plowed layer. The application of manures and fertilizers at a rate of 300 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ significantly increased N₂O emissions from 150 g N₂O-N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in the CK treatment soil to 856 g N₂O-N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in the OM treatment soil; however, there was no significant difference between the effect of fertilizer and manure on N₂O emission. More N₂O was released during the 102-day maize growth season than during the 236-day wheat growth season in the N-fertilized soils but not in N-unfertilized soils. N₂O emission was significantly affected by soil moisture during the maize growth season and by soil temperature during the wheat growth season. In sum, this study showed that manure added to a soil tested did not result in greater N₂O emission than treatment with a N-containing fertilizer, but did confer greater benefits for soil fertility and the environment.     

Effect of addition of organic residues,farmyard manure and fertilizer nitrogen on soil fertility in rice‐wheat cropping system

A field experiment was conducted for 3 crop years (July‐June) at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to study the effects of Sesbania and cowpea green manuring (GM) and incorporation of mungbean residues after harvesting grain, Leucaena loppings, FYM and wheat straw incorporation before planting rice and application of 0,40,80 and 120 kg N ha^?1 to rice on the soil organic carbon (SOC), alkaline permanganate oxidizable N (APO‐N), 0.5 M sodium bicarbonate extractable P (SBC‐P) and 1N ammonium acetate exchangeable K (AAE‐K) in surface 0–15 cm soil after the harvest of rice and wheat grown in sequence. Green manuring and addition of organic residues prevented the decline in SOC. On the other hand addition of N fertilizer tended to decrease SOC after rice harvest. On the contrary application of green manures, organic residues, FYM and fertilizer N increased APO‐N, which indicates the benefit of these treatments to a more labile soil organic N pool. Also application of green manures, organic residues, FYM and fertilizer N increased SBC‐P. Not much change was observed in AAE‐K by the treatments applied.     

沙壤土包膜尿素释放期与小麦适宜施用方式研究

【目的】在保水保肥性差、 氮素淋溶损失严重的姜堰高砂土地区,采用新型水基反应成膜技术的包膜尿素,研究可提高小麦产量以及氮肥利用率的肥料品种和施肥方法。【方法】本研究采用30、 60、 90 d三种控释期包膜尿素(PCU30、 PCU60、 PCU90)并各设置三种施肥方式处理: 播种行下方12 cm处一次基施、 播种行侧方3 cm深5 cm处一次基施、 播种行侧方10 cm深5 cm处一次基施(T1、 T2、 T3)。小麦成熟期测定各小麦秸秆和籽粒产量与干物质分配,测定氮素吸收量。【结果】三种包膜尿素中,施用PCU60增产效果最好,其侧施处理优于种下深施,其中T2处理的小麦产量最高,为8661 kg/hm2,比当地习惯施肥增产6.5%。PCU60 T2处理的氮肥利用率为53.7%,较习惯施肥提高17.3%,差异显著。PCU90各处理较习惯施肥均减产且收获期土壤硝态氮残留量高,不适合当地使用。【结论】在砂土基质下,PCU60在播种行侧方3 cm深5 cm处一次基施可替代尿素分次施用,降低劳动成本。     

Nitrogen recovery by orchardgrass from dairy manure applied with or without fertilizer nitrogen

Abstract

With increasing manure production per unit cropland available for its disposal, greater recovery and recycling of manure nitrogen (N) through crop uptake is needed on dairy farms to minimize environmental problems. This study was conducted in 1990 and 1991 on a sandy loam soil with the objective of quantifyin forage yield and N recovery by orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) in response to dairy manure applied in spring with or without fertilizer N. Manure N, either as liquid or as solid with bedding, was surface applied annually to supply 150 kg total N/ha/yr with four rates of fertilizer N (0, 75, 150, and 300 kg N/ha in 1990 and 0, 150, 300, and 600 kg N/ha in 1991) factorially superimposed over the manure treatments. Averaged over years, orchardgrass recovered 40% of the liquid manure N and 26% of the solid manure N applied each year. On an annual basis, the crop recovered 430 kg soil N/ha/yr from plots receiving liquid manure in combination with 600 kg fertilizer N/ha. This study demonstrates that intensively managed orchardgrass has the potential to absorb large quantities of manure N.     

Transformation of fertilizer P in a Vertisol amended with farmyard manure

Availability, fixation, and transformation of added P were studied in a 16-week incubation experiment with a Vertisol amended with farmyard manure in pots with 500 g soil each. P availability, as measured by Olsen P, decreased for up to 8 weeks with various rates of added P, when no manure was applied. In the presence of farmyard manure, P availability decreased during the first 6 weeks and then showed a considerable increase from the 8th week onwards. P fixation increased for up to 8 weeks with the rates of P in the absence of manure. With manure application, P fixation increased only during the first 6 weeks and thereafter decreased continuously. Thus the presence of farmyard manure shortened the period of P fixation and promoted its availability. After 16 weeks of incubation, when manure and fertilizer P were applied together, P was transformed into labile organic (NaHCO₃–P), moderately labile organic P (NaOH-P), and calcium-bound inorganic P (HCl-P). When manure was not applied. P accumulated predominantly as labile inorganic (NaHCO₃–P), moderately labile inorganic (NaOH-P), and inorganic HCl-P. The application of farmyard manure enriched long-term P fertility through NaHCO₃–P and NaOH–P and a shortterm P supply as HCl-P. All fractions except inorganic NaOH-P showed good relationships with Olsen P.     

Effect of farmyard manure and its humic fractions on the aggregate stability of a sandy–loam soil

The effect of cattle manure and its humic fractions on the aggregate stability of a sandyloam soil has been studied. Cattle manure was extracted with 0.1 m NaOH and the extract was dialysed to obtain a combined fulvic acid + humic acid fraction (FHA). Humic acid (HA) was precipitated from this extract, redissolved in 0.1 m NaOH solution and dialysed. The manure and the organic fractions were added at two rates to a sandy–loam soil and the mixtures incubated for 2 and 17 weeks.
Changes in the water-stable aggregation of the soil were followed. In these tests, the effects on water stability of pre-wetting with alcohol or benzene were also examined. Addition of manure, by itself, was rather ineffectual, but stability was significantly improved after two weeks of incubation by addition of the organic fractions. FHA was much more effective than HA, particularly in increasing stability after the benzene pretreatment. There were only slight changes in aggregation after 17 weeks as compared with 2 weeks.     

Physical and chemical properties of a sandy loam receiving animal manure, mineral fertilizer or no fertilizer for 90 years

Ninety years after the start of the Askov long-term fertilization experiment on sandy loam, bulk soil was taken from the 0–20 cm and 30–35 cm depths of unfertilized (UNF), animal-manure (FYM) treated and mineral-fertilized (NPK) plots and analysed for textural composition, carbon content, pH, CEC, particle density and plasticity limits. Undisturbed soil cores (100 cm³) from the 8–12 cm layer were brought to six different matric potentials and subjected to confined uniaxial compression, drop-cone penetration and annulus shear tests. Water-retention curves based on seven matric potentials were produced for undisturbed cores from the 8–12 and 30–35 cm layers. In the field, in situ shear strength of plough-layer soil was determined by a vane shear tester and a torsional shear box. FYM and NPK treatments increased the soil organic carbon content by 23 and 11% of the amount in UNF, respectively. Corresponding increases observed in CEC were 17 and 11%. The water content at the lower and upper plastic limits both decreased from FYM to NPK to UNF. Soil bulk density in the 0-20 cm layer was reduced in FYM and NPK treatments relative to UNF, whereas the volume of soil pores larger than 30 μm was unaffected by past fertilization. Soil receiving animal manure showed the greatest soil strength when exposed to annulus shear, drop-cone penetration and confined uniaxial compression tests, Shear strength measurements indicated that the UNF sandy loam soil reacted like a sand, the increase in soil strength upon drying primarily being due to increased internal friction. In contrast, soil from FYM and NPK treatments showed reactions typical of a loamy soil, the increase in soil strength during drying being caused by increased cohesion in the soil matrix. The field tests employed were unable to detect the management-induced differences in soil physical parameters found in the laboratory tests. This study shows that physical soil properties related to conditions for tillage and traffic, to crop development and erosion are significantly influenced by differences in soil organic matter levels resulting from contrasting methods of fertilizer management. Exhausting a loamy soil by long-term lack of fertilizer application severely affects the physical properties of the soil.     

氮肥管理对秸秆还田下土壤氮素供应和冬小麦生长的影响

通过田间试验研究了秸秆和氮肥管理对小麦生育期土壤无机氮、微生物量碳、氮和小麦生长的影响,设置秸秆还田不施氮(CK)、农民习惯施氮FN5∶5(5∶5为氮肥基追比,下同)、推荐施氮SN3∶7、SN5∶5、SN7∶3和秸秆移走推荐施氮N5∶5处理。施氮显著提高苗期土壤无机氮含量,其与基肥氮量成正比且在拔节期显著降低,拔节后追肥提高了后期无机氮且其与追肥量成正比。小麦生育前期土壤微生物没有增加对无机氮的固持,而在拔节和抽穗期显著增加,此后逐步降低。秸秆还田较秸秆移走增加了无机氮固持,且生育中期固持量远高于前期。氮肥基追比过高导致小麦前期氮奢侈吸收和旺长且影响后期生长,氮肥3∶7基追施能满足小麦养分供求同步并实现高产和提高氮肥利用效率。     

有机无机配施比例对华北褐土冬小麦产量与氮肥利用率的影响

以保麦9号为试材,在氮磷钾用量一致的基础上,研究了有机无机氮配施比例对土壤有机质和养分含量、冬小麦产量和氮素利用率的影响。结果表明:施用无机氮和有机氮均能提高土壤有机质和养分含量,与对照相比,单施无机氮耕层土壤有机质增加1.7%,有机无机氮配施增加7.8%~11.2%,单施有机氮增加23.6%;土壤有效磷和速效钾变化趋势与有机质基本一致。施用无机氮和有机氮均可提高冬小麦的产量、蛋白质含量和氮肥利用率,以35%M和50%M处理最佳,小麦产量比对照增加2 292和2 419 kg/hm2,比单施无机氮增加656和783kg/hm2。相对于单施无机氮处理较高的小麦氮肥利用率(38.6%),35%M和50%M处理的氮素损失少,氮肥利用率高达47.9%和53.0%,高于单施化肥处理。说明在等氮量水平下,以35%和50%有机氮替代无机氮不但提高土壤有机质、养分含量、作物产量和氮肥利用率,还可减少氮素损失,可获得较高的经济和环境效益。     

Nitrogen uptake by ryegrass from organic wastes applied to a sandy loam soil

Sandy‐textured Mediterranean soils are invariably depleted in organic matter and supply only small amounts of N to crops. To compensate for these deficiencies, we tested the N supply from six organic wastes applied to a Cambic Arenosol in pots growing ryegrass. The results showed that the behaviour of the wastes in supplying N to a ryegrass crop grown in this soil can be predicted by observing their performance in laboratory aerobic incubations. The N made available during these incubations fitted well to a one‐pool kinetic model.     

Wheat response to combined application of nitrogen and phosphorus in a saline sandy loam soil

Fertilization with nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) can improve plant growth in saline soils. This study was undertaken to determine wheat (Triticum aestivum L; cv Krichauff) response to the combined application of N and P fertilizers in the sandy loam under saline conditions. Salinity was induced using sodium (Na⁺) and calcium (Ca²⁺) salts to achieve four levels of electrical conductivity in the extract of the saturated soil paste (EC_e), 2.2, 6.7, 9.2 and 11.8?dS?m^?1, while maintaining a low sodium adsorption ratio (SAR; ≤1). Nitrogen was applied as Ca(NO₃)₂?·?4H₂O at 50 (N50), 100 (N100) and 200 (N200)?mg?N?kg^?1 soil. Phosphorus was applied at 0 (P0), 30 (P30) and 60 (P60)?mg?kg^?1?soil in the form of KH₂PO₄. Results showed that increasing soil salinity had no effect on shoot N or P concentrations, but increased shoot Na⁺ and chlorine ion (Cl^?) concentrations and reduced dry weights of shoot and root in all treatments of N and P. At each salinity and P level, increasing application of N reduced dry weight of shoot. At each salinity and N level P fertilization increased dry weights of shoot and root and shoot P concentration. Addition of greater than N50 contributed to the soil salinity limiting plant growth, but increasing P addition up to 60?mg?P?kg^?1 soil reduced Cl^? absorption and enhanced the plant salt tolerance and thus plant growth. The positive effect of the combined addition of N and P on wheat growth in the saline sandy loam is noticeable, but only to a certain level of soil salinity beyond which salinity effect is dominant.     

Uptake of labelled nitrate by roots of winter barley on a direct-drilled or ploughed silt loam soil

This work investigated the availability to cereal crops of inorganic nitrogen at differing soil depths at different growth stages. Experiments were done in the field on a silt loam soil on which winter barley was grown after direct drilling or conventional seed-bed preparation after ploughing.At three growth stages (Zadoks 25, 31 and 45) nitrogen labelled with the isotope ¹⁵N was introduced to microplots (area 707 cm²) at depths 7.5, 15, 30 and 50 cm. After an interval of 2 or 3 days to allow uptake of this nitrate by the roots, the herbage growing on the microplots was harvested and tracer-nitrogen content measured.Labelled-nitrogen adsorption was greatest from 7.5 cm depth, and uptake approximately halved for each depth increment. This decline with depth was more pronounced on the ploughed plots. Irrespective of cultivation method, total tracer-nitrogen adsorption averaged over all depths was much the same at growth stages 25 and 31 (mid-March and April), but at growth stage 45 (late May) the uptake on the direct-drilled treatment was almost twice that on the ploughed. Nitrogen concentration was significantly smaller in the direct-drilled crop particularly at the May harvest (Zadoks 45) and this starvation may have been responsible for the greater utilization by the direct-drilled crops of a fresh supply of nitrogen.     

Long-term farmyard manure application effects on properties of a silty clay loam soil under irrigated wheat–soybean rotation

Increasing importance has been placed on the use of agricultural soils for the mitigation of atmospheric CO₂ through sequestration of soil C. Although crop productivity is sustained mainly through the application of organic manure in the Indian Himalayas, little information is available on C sequestration, C content in different aggregate size fractions and soil water transmission properties (infiltration and saturated hydraulic conductivity) as affected by long-term manure addition. We analyzed results of an 8-year experiment, initiated in 1995–1996 on a silty clay loam soil, to determine the influence of fertilizer and fertilizer + farmyard manure (FYM) application on those important soil properties. The overall increase in soil organic C (SOC) content in the 0–45 cm soil depth in NPK + FYM treatment as compared to NPK and control treatments was 11.0 and 13.9 Mg C ha⁻¹ at the end of 8 years, respectively. Application of FYM significantly reduced soil bulk density and increased mean weight diameter (MWD) and SOC contents in different aggregate size fractions. Soil organic C content in macroaggregates was greater than in microaggregates. The response of SOC content to FYM application was dependent upon inorganic fertilization and more upon balanced application of NPK than N only. Steady state infiltration rate under NPK + FYM (1.98 cm h⁻¹) was higher than under unfertilized (0.72 cm h⁻¹) and NPK (1.2 cm h⁻¹). Soil water sorptivity (calculated from Philip's equation) under NPK + FYM (1.06 cm min^−0.5) was higher than under NPK (0.61 cm min^−0.5). We conclude that hill farmers in northern India should be encouraged to use FYM along with chemical fertilizers to increase SOC content and improve soil physical properties.     

Effects of cropping system and rates of nitrogen in animal slurry and mineral fertilizer on nitrate leaching from a sandy loam

Abstract. Leaching of nitrate from a sandy loam cropped with spring barley, winter wheat and grass was compared in a 4-year lysimeter study. Crops were grown continuously or in a sequence including sugarbeet. Lysimeters were unfertilized or supplied with equivalent amounts of inorganic nitrogen in calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) or animal slurry according to recommended rates (1N) or 50% above recommended rates (1.5N).
Compared with unfertilized crops, leaching of nitrate increased only slightly when 1N (CAN) was added. Successive annual additions of 1.5N (CAN) or 1N and 1.5N (animal slurry) caused the cumulative loss of nitrate to increase significantly. More nitrate was leached after application of slurry because organic nitrogen in the slurry-was mineralized.
With 1N (CAN) the leaching losses of nitrate were in the following order: continuous spring barley undersown with Italian ryegrass < continuous ley of perennial ryegrass < spring barley in rotation and undersown with grass < perennial ryegrass grown in rotation = winter wheat grown in rotation < sugarbeet in rotation < continuous winter wheat < continuous barley < bare fallow.
At recommended levels of CAN (1N), cumulative nitrate losses over the four years were similar for the crops when grown in rotation or continuously. When crops received 1.5N (CAN) or animal slurry, nitrate losses from the crops grown continuously exceeded those from crops in rotation. Including a catch crop in the continuous cropping system eliminated the differences in nitrate leaching between the two cropping systems.     

Using a chlorophyll meter to predict nitrogen fertilizer needs of winter wheat

Abstract

Although it has been shown that the nitrogen (N) concentration of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell) at Feeke's growth stage 5 (GS 5) can be used to assist in making more accurate spring N fertilizer recommendations, the need remains to find a more convenient and accurate means for predicting N fertilizer needs of wheat. We conducted seven N fertilizer response experiments over two years in central and southeastern Pennsylvania to determine if chlorophyll meter readings of wheat leaves at GS 5 could predict whether a significant, positive grain yield response to N fertilizer would be obtained. The chlorophyll meter readings at GS 5 were more accurate (correctly predicting response to N fertilizer in 24 of 25 treatments for a 4% error rate) than GS 5 plant N concentration (20% error rate). There were too few treatments with a positive response to N fertilizer to be able to determine if chlorophyll meter readings could be used to accurately predict N fertilizer rates needed for economic optimum yield.     

Effects of farmyard manure and inorganic fertilizer on the dynamics of soil microbial biomass in a tropical dryland agroecosystem

Changes in the soil microbial biomass following applications of farmyard manure and inorganic fertilizer, alone and in combination, were studied for two annual cycles in a rice-lentil crop sequence grown under rainfed tropical dryland conditions. During the two annual cycles the microbial biomass C range (g g^-1) was 146–241 (x = 204), 191–301 (245), 244–382 (305), and 294–440 (365) in control, fertilizer, manure and manure+fertilizer plots, respectively. The corresponding ranges for microbial biomass N (g g^-1) were 16.5–21.0 (19.5), 20.4–38.2 (26.0), 23.0–34.6 (27.0) and 26.2–42.4 (33.3), and for microbial biomass P (g g^-1) 4.4–8.2 (7.0) 6.0–11.2 (9.6), 11.2–22.0 (17.0), and 10.0–25.4 (18.3). The maximum increase in the microbial biomass, due to these inputs was observed under the manure+fertilizer treatment followed, in decreasing order, by manure alone and fertilizer alone. Within individual crop periods the levels of microbial biomass decreased sharply from the seedling to the flowering stage and then increased slightly with crop maturity. The maximum levels of microbial biomass C and P were observed during the summer fallow. The maximum accumulation of microbial biomass N occurred in the early rainy season, immediately after the soil amendments. Microbial biomass C, N, and P were positively related to each other throughout the annual cycle.     

不同肥力土壤下施氮与玉米秸秆还田对冬小麦氮素吸收利用的影响

为了解华北潮土区不同土壤肥力水平下施氮与玉米秸秆还田对冬小麦氮素吸收利用的影响,采用15N标记氮肥和15N标记玉米秸秆的双标记方法,在两种肥力水平土壤上进行盆栽试验,研究了玉米秸秆全量直接还田对冬小麦地上部氮素累积量、氮素分配和氮肥回收率的影响。结果表明:（1）等氮肥用量条件下,与不配施玉米秸秆相比,施用玉米秸秆则显著降低了冬小麦地上部氮素累积量;高肥力土壤的子粒氮素累积量高于低肥力土壤,冬小麦秸秆氮素累积量则以低肥力土壤为高;氮肥配施玉米秸秆使得氮肥回收率下降9.6%～15.7%,土壤残留率增加12.2%～16.4%。（2）氮肥用量为N 150和300 kg/hm2时,玉米秸秆氮素的当季回收率达到22.8%～33.1%,冬小麦子粒氮素约7%～10%来源于还田的玉米秸秆。（3）等氮肥用量和相同土壤肥力条件下,氮肥配施玉米秸秆对冬小麦子粒产量影响不显著,在氮肥用量为N 150和300 kg/hm2条件下,影响冬小麦子粒产量主要是土壤肥力水平,该试验结果还有待于田间进一步验证。     

Yield and uptake of fertilizer nitrogen by direct-drilled winter barley growing on a chalk soil

Abstract. This paper reports the growth and yield of grain and the utilization of fertilizer nitrogen applied on either one or two occasions in spring to a crop of winter barley established by direct drilling on a chalk soil in southern England. Nitrogen, as ammonium nitrate, was applied at rates of 0 to 140 kg N ha⁻¹ in a range of proportions on two occasions (March and April 1981); nitrogen-15 was used to facilitate study of the nitrogen utilization by the crop.
When sampled before the second top-dressing in April, the greatest number of tillers were found on plants treated with 70 and 100 kg N ha⁻¹ in March. The total above ground dry matter production at harvest was greatest when the split nitrogen dressing totalled more than 100 kg N ha⁻¹, although the apparent efficiency of nitrogen usage (kg DM per kg N applied) was greatest when 60 kg N ha⁻¹ was divided equally between the two application dates. Grain yield was heaviest (6.471 ha⁻¹) at the largest rate of nitrogen applied (140 kg N ha⁻¹); the lightest yield from the nitrogen treated crops was recorded from 100 kg N ha⁻¹ applied as a single dressing in April that stimulated shoot production and decreased individual grain weight. The recovery in grain and straw of labelled fertilizer nitrogen applied only in March averaged 42.2% and was 49.8% when the nitrogen was applied only in April. The recovery of nitrogen applied in both March and April at the total rate of 100 kg N ha⁻¹ but split 30/70 or 70/30 was 44.5% and 42.5% respectively. Non-fertilizer sources of nitrogen contributed 60.7–71.7% of the total nitrogen uptake by the crop at harvest.