INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF CORN SUBJECTED TO INCREASING NITROGEN DOSES

Abstract

Corn (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereals grown and consumed in the world not only for its economic value but also due to its importance in human and animal nutrition. This study aimed to assess the initial development of corn as a function of increasing nitrogen doses. The study was carried out in a greenhouse on the Sipal Farm, Confresa, MT, Brazil. The experiment was set up in a completely randomized design, consisting of five treatments (0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg N dm−3 soil), with four replications, conducted from April to June 2020. Four seeds of the hybrid K 9606 VIP 3 were sown per 8-L polyethylene pot. The plants were thinned at 7 days after emergence (DAE), leaving only one plant per pot. Morphological components were assessed. A significant effect was found for almost all the analyzed parameters, except for stem diameter and root dry matter. The maximum plant height, shoot fresh matter, leaf area index, shoot dry matter, root fresh matter, and root volume was obtained by applying the maximum agronomic efficiency doses of 248.83, 271.90, 336.91, 279.66, 403.92, and 272.90 mg N dm−3 soil, respectively. Nitrogen doses influenced the initial development of the corn crop.