Nitrogen fertilization of the forage crop: its effect on the yield and agronomic efficiency of Nitrogen

Abstract

The goal was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization on the yield and EAN (agronomic efficiency of nitrogen) of the forage oat crop. To meet this goal, an experiment with a DBCA design was carried out, using 6 treatments: T0 (control), T1 (50-20-60), T2 (100-20-60), T3 (180-20-60), T4 (250-20-60) and T5 (350-20-60), repeated three times, in San Cristobal, Huacrachuco. The evolution of plant height, number of tillers per plant, fresh biomass, dry matter, % fiber and the agronomic efficiency of nitrogen (EAN) were determined. The data were analyzed with ANOVA and LSD test at 5% significance level. Treatments T5 and T4 reached higher values in stem length, higher yields of fresh biomass and dry matter by m2. Fertilization did not change the number of tillers per plant and the% of fiber. However, the most optimal EAN was achieved with the dose of 100-20-60. Values higher than this dose of N could produce over fertilization without the plant using it efficiently. In conclusion, it is recommended to app ly this dose (100-20-60) for having presented the best EAN, although the yields were lower with this dose, it would be the most appropriate for the efficient use of crop N.