Raised BEDS, Tile Drainage, and Nitrogen Fertilizer Management On Corn In Eastern North Dakota.

RAISED BEDS, TILE DRAINAGE, AND NITROGEN FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT ON CORN IN EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA

Matthew Chaput¹, Joel Ransom¹, Hans Kandel¹, Grant Merring¹, Chad Deplazes¹

(1)   Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University (NDSU), Fargo, ND.

Reducing nitrogen losses has become increasingly important in the Red River Valley (RRV) because of the wet cycle that has continued since the early 1990’s. The high clay content, flat soils of the RRV are prone to waterlogging. Reducing periods of waterlogging and the length of time that nitrogen fertilizers are in the nitrate form may reduce these losses and increase corn grain yield. Furthermore, tile drainage and a raised bed tillage system could be used to reduce periods of waterlogging. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of water management, raised beds, and nitrogen management practices on corn productivity and nitrogen efficiency. Experiments were established at three locations in 2012 and four locations in 2013. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with a split-split plot arrangement with drainage as the main plot (tiled or non-tiled), tillage as the subplot (raised bed or conventional), and nitrogen management practices as the sub-subplot was used at the Fargo location in 2012 and 2013. Nitrogen management practices consisted of: split application of nitrogen, nitrification inhibitors, urease inhibitors, and slow release urea. Two locations in 2012 and three locations in 2013 had an RCBD with a split plot arrangement with tillage as the main plot and nitrogen management practices as the subplot. The 2012 growing season was abnormally dry, so corn grain yield was non-significant between different nitrogen management practices, tillage systems, and water management treatments. The 2013 growing season was extremely wet early on.  The 2013 results will be reported once the corn is harvested.