Please login first
Corn Yield Response to Microbial Nitrogen, Irrigation and Seeding Rate Strategies
1  Agronomy, Horticulture, & Plant Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA
Academic Editor: Lorenzo Negri

Published: 20 October 2025 by MDPI in The 3rd International Online Conference on Agriculture session Crop Production
Abstract:

Optimizing nitrogen (N) management in corn (Zea mays L.) production is critical for enhancing sustainability and profitability, especially given its non-nitrogen-fixing nature and the inefficiency of conventional N fertilization due to losses. This study, conducted in 2023 and 2024 at the Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center (TAREC), evaluated the effectiveness of the microbial nitrogen product Pivot Bio® under irrigated and non-irrigated environments. A split-split plot design with three replications was used to assess four N rates (133, 200, 267, and 333 kg N ha-1), four seeding rates (59,000, 74,000, 89,000, and 104,000 plants ha-1), and the presence or absence of Pivot Bio®, which allowed a 45 kg ha-1 N reduction in the biological treatments. Results revealed significant main effects of irrigation, nitrogen rate, and seeding rate on grain yield (p < 0.05), with the highest yield (12,668 kg ha-1) observed under irrigated conditions with Pivot Bio® and 333 kg N ha-1. Notably, the interaction between nitrogen and irrigation, seeding rate and irrigation, and nitrogen and seeding rate significantly influenced yield. Under non-irrigated conditions, yield was consistently lower and less responsive to increased N or plant density. These findings suggest that Pivot Bio® has potential as a sustainable nitrogen supplement in irrigated systems, allowing for reduced N application without sacrificing yield

Keywords: Corn (Zea mays L.), Pivot Bio®, biological nitrogen fixation, irrigation, seeding rate

 
 
Top