Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Maize as Affected by Zinc Fertilization in the Moist Savanna of Nigeria

Abstract

Nutrient use efficiency (NUE) is a very important concept in the evaluation of crop production and can be significantly influenced by nutrient management. This study was carried out in 2014 and 2015 cropping seasons to determine the response of maize to nitrogen as affected by zinc fertilization in the moist savanna of Nigeria. The response was evaluated using agronomic efficiency (AE), fertilizer response (FR), and partial factor productivity (PFP). The treatments -1 -1 were four N rates; 0. 60, 90, and 120 kg ha and three Zn rates; 0, 2.5, and 5 kg ha . The experimental design was a 4 x 3 factorial fitted to randomized complete block design with three replicates. There was response to N over the two seasons, however, there was no significant difference among the N rates. There was also response to Zn, even though only in 2015 with the highest grain yield of 6.1 Mg ha-1 obtained from maize fertilized with 5 kg Zn ha-1. Interaction of N and Zn on grain yield was not significant. There was no significant effect of Zn on FR in both seasons. The AE and PFP were significantly affected by Zn fertilization in both seasons and their values were significantly reduced with increasing rate of N, irrespective of Zn rate. Application of 60 kg N ha-1 plus 5 kg Zn ha-1, had the highest efficiency of N use of 82.72 kg grain kg N-1in both seasons.