IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2018) 9-1

Research article
erd

Evaluation of Rates and Forms of Urea Fertilizer for
Improved Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Hybrid Maize
Cultivation
THANT LWIN OO*
Yezin Agricultural University, Myanmar
Email: tthant2007@gmail.com

THAN DA MIN
Department of Agronomy, Yezin Agricultural University, Myanmar

KYAW KYAW WIN
Department of Agronomy, Yezin Agricultural University, Myanmar

MIE MIE AUNG
Department of Plant Breeding, Physiology and Ecology, Yezin Agricultural University,Myanmar
Received 28 December 2017

Accepted 5 May 2018(*Corresponding Author)

Abstract By using different rates and forms of urea fertilizer, the field experiments werecarried out at Department of Agricultural Research, Head Quarters, Yezin and Tatkon
Agricultural Research Farm, during the monsoon season of 2017. For improving nitrogenuse efficiency of Yezin Hybrid Maize-10 variety, four nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 71.27,118.78 and 166.29 kg N ha-1) were applied with two forms of nitrogen fertilizer (Briquetteurea and Prilled urea). The 4 x 2 factorial arrangements were assigned in the RandomizedComplete Block Design with 3 replications in both experimental sites. Mean effects ofapplied nitrogen rates on seed yield of maize were highly significant in this study. Thehighest mean values of seed yield resulted with the rate of 166.29 kg N ha-1 in Yezin (8.14 tha-1) and Tatkon (11.69 t ha-1). Although, there was no significant effect from forms of urea
fertilizer on seed yield, mean seed yields of Briquette urea were generally higher than thoseof Prilled urea at the same level of applied N rate in both sites. Non-significant interaction
was observed between rate and form of urea fertilizer factors in the variation of hybridmaize seed yield. The similar trend was also observed in comparison of agronomic nitrogenuse efficiency (AE) of hybrid maize. The AE mean values of 166.29 kg N ha-1 (8.14 and11.69 t increased seed kg-1 N applied) were significantly higher than those of other tworates of applied nitrogen in Yezin and Tatkon, respectively. The significant effect wasobserved from forms of urea fertilizer on nitrogen recovery efficiency (RE) in both trials.
The RE means of Briquette gave 208.58 in Yezin and 631.43 in Tatkon.
Keywords hybrid maize, AE, RE, briquette, prilled, urea fertilizer

INTRODUCTION
Maize is the second most important cereal crop after rice and it is the main feed crop grown inMyanmar. One of the major nutrients limiting maize production is nitrogen. In tropical soil, thepotential for loss of fertilizer N is substantial. Poss and Saragoni (1992) found that 36-153 kg N ha1
had leached below the root zone (150 cm) during the growing season. Myers (1988) reported thatmaize takes up only 20 to 40% of available N during the main 3 to 5 months of the growing season.
Nitrogen (N) management studies have been conducted for many years, mainly with the aim of
reducing N losses and increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Improving efficient use of applied
nutrients in crop production is a desirable agronomic, economic, and environmental goal.
Improving the NUE and increasing agricultural productivity have been the major focus of researchⒸ ISERD77

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2018) 9-1for the last one to two decades. Some of the N management practices are the use of slow- andcontrolled release fertilizers and improved placement methods, which reduce the emissions of
GHG gases from agricultural fields.
Urea deep placement (UDP) is a proven technology in Bangladesh, sub-Saharan Africancountries, and more recently in Myanmar that can increase the yield of transplanted lowland rice by
15-20 percent with less use of urea (up to 40 percent) compared to broadcast application of urea(IFDC, 2016). In Bangladesh, 15-20 percent increases in maize yields have been achieved withfertilizer deep placement (FDP), while farmers use 15-20 percent less N (IFDC, 2013). Fertilizer
deep placement with briquette form is a technology that is now being promoted in Myanmar by
Fertilizer Sector Improvement (FSI) Project of International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC).
OBJECTIVES
The present study aims to investigate the efficient nitrogen fertilizer rate for maize production andto determine the appropriate fertilizer placement method to get high yield.
MATERIALS AND METHODSThe experiments were conducted during monsoon season 2017 at the Department of Agricultural
Research, Head Quarters, Yezin (19˚57’N, 96˚16’E, elevation 130.85 m), Tatkon Agricultural
Research Station (20˚ 07’N, 96˚ 12’E, elevation 155.25 m). The 4 x 2 factorial arrangements wereassigned in the Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications in both experimental sites.
Used cultivar in the experiment was single-crossed Yezin Hybrid Maize-10. Selected soil chemicaland physical characteristics for the two research stations soil are presented in Table 1. The
experimental materials were included four nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 71.27, 118.78 and 166.29 kg
N ha-1) were applied with two forms of nitrogen fertilizer (Briquette urea and Prilled urea). The
Prilled Urea (PU) is the most common form of urea available in the market and contains 46%
nitrogen (N). The Briquette Urea (BU) is manufactured from a physical modification of ordinary
urea fertilizer. The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) has developed it. Its natureand properties are similar to that of PU, but its granule size is bigger and condensed in shapecontaining 46%N. The weight of Briquette used in this study was 1.8 g and 2.7 g. The ordinary
triple super phosphate (TSP) 123.5 kg ha-1 and Muriate of Potash (MOP) 123.5 kg ha-1 were used
for source of nutrient at basal for BU treatments (T2, T3 & T4) and N control treatments (T1 & T5).
TSP 123.5 kg ha-1was applied at basal and three equal split amounts of MOP (123.5 kg ha-1) wasused at basal, 21 days and 35 days after sowing for PU treatments (T6, T7 & T8). BU was appliedat sowing time inserted into 7-10 cm deep.
Table 1 Physico-chemical properties of experimental soils
Properties
Soil texture
Sand %
Silt %
Clay %
Soil pH
Available N (mg/kg)
Available P (mg/kg)
Available K (mg/kg)
Organic matter (%)

Analytical method
Pipette method

4A1-1:5 soil: water suspension
Alkaline permanganate method
9C-Olsen’s P-Malachite green
1N Ammonium acetate extraction
Tyurin’s method

TatkonLoamy sand
87.85
2.10
10.05
6.60
73.00
6.40
210.002.50

Yezin
Loamy sand
85.40
6.33
8.26
5.90
63.00
15.00
183.002.20

Each plot comprised of 8 rows with 5 m long and spacing was 0.76 m between row and 0.23
m within plants. The standard procedure for maize was carried out during the crop stand.
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Agronomic characteristics and grain yield were recorded. As N fertilizer were applied in different
plots at different forms and doses, the use efficiency N was calculated by the formula NUE =(Gy+N-Gy0N)/FN, where Gy+N= grain yield in treatment with N application; Gy0N= grain yield intreatment without N application; FN= amount of fertilizer N applied in kg ha -1 (Afroz, 2013). TheN uptake by grain and stover was determined from N content and yield data. The recovery
efficiency of applied N was calculated by the formula RE= ‰N uptake at Nx - N uptake at N0/
applied N at Nx. Data analysis was done by using SAS program version 9.1 (SAS Institute 2001)
for analysis of variance and mean comparisons.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Nitrogen rates significantly affected yield in Yezin and Tatkon (Table 2). Yield increased withincreasing N rates. The highest rate N4 (166.29 kg N ha-1) provided maximum yield (8.14 t ha-1 inYezin and 11.69 t ha-1in Tatkon) which was statistically significant from lower N rates. The lowest
value of yield 2.96 t ha-1 in Yezin and 9.37 t ha-1 in Tatkon was found in the no nitrogen N1 (0 kg Nha-1). It was cleared that nitrogen fertilizer is needed to get better yield in hybrid maize.
Table 2 Mean effect of rate and form of urea fertilizer on seed yield and agronomic efficiency(AE) and recovery efficiency (RE) of hybrid maize during monsoon season of 2017
Seed yield(t ha-1)

AE (N)(t increased seed kg-1 Napplied)

Recovery efficiency(N)N rate (kg ha-1)

Yezin

TatkonYezin

TatkonYezin

02.96 c9.37 c---

bb

10.68

6.05

b

10.55

Tatkon-b

154.73c579.85b

71.27

6.09

118.786.36 b

10.46 b6.33 b

10.39 b194.87b627.32a166.298.14 a11.69 a8.12 a11.63 a234.29a

540.95c

LSD0.05

0.61

0.7 9

0.53

0.81

7.23

36.58

Form of Urea
(F)
Briquette
Prilled
LSD0.05
Pr>FNFNxF

5.99 a5.78 a
0.43

10.75 a10.35 a0.79

6.98 a6.69 a0.44

11.14 a10.57 a0.66

208.58a180.68b5.90

631.43a533.98b29.87< 0.0001
0.32300.70250.00020.14810.4264< 0.0001
0.17660.51940.01330.08320.4700< 0.0001< 0.0001
0.00140.0013< 0.0001
0.0240CV (%)

8.39

6.02

6.07

5.81

2.89

4.87

Means having similar letter(s) do not differ significantly whereas means having dissimilar letter(s) differ significantly as
per DMRT at 5% level, LSD: Least Significant Different, CV: Coefficient of variation

Form of nitrogen fertilizer application (Briquette urea and Prilled urea) on yield was notstatistically significant in both trials (Table 2). The briquette urea treated plots were gained morevalue in yield than Prilled urea treated plots in both locations. Nair and Singh, 1974 and Misra et al.,1994 pointed that split N of Prilled urea provided yield and its components especially when the last
split was scheduled near the phase with high N demand could have more likelihood of being
deposited in sink than in other vegetative organs helping development of sink and ultimately theyield parameters. The results pointed that briquette form of urea application at once in basal could
also behave as split prilled N application.
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The effect of interaction between nitrogen fertilizer rate and form of nitrogen fertilizer
application was not significantly on yield in both trials. The interaction of N4 (166.29 kg N ha -1)
with briquette form of urea gave the highest yield (8.28 t/ha) in Yezin (Fig. 1) and 12.03 t ha-1 inTatkon (Fig. 2). At the same fertilizer rates, briquette form of application intended to increase yieldin both locations.

Fig. 1 Mean seed yields as affected by theFig. 2 Mean seed yields as affected by thedifferent rates and forms of nitrogendifferent rates and forms of nitrogen
fertilizer at Yezin Agricultural
fertilizer at Tatkon Agricultural
Research Farm during monsoon season
Research Farm during monsoon
2017
season 2017
The nitrogen fertilizer rate significantly affected agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (AE), andnitrogen recovery efficiency (RE) in both trials. With increasing N rates AE and RE also increasedin Yezin Trial (Table 2). The AE consistently increased with increase in nitrogen rates. The highest
N rates (N4, 166.29 kg N ha-1) provided the maximum amount of AE (8.12 t increased seed kg-1 N)
and RE (234.29) in Yezin. Increase in nitrogen rates from N1 to N3 significantly enhanced RE inTatkon (627.32). Further increase in nitrogen rates could not bring increase rather curved therecovery efficiency of N (Table 2).
No significant effect was given by the form of nitrogen application in AE for both trials. Themean value of AE with briquette urea treated plots gave higher values than using Prilled urea inboth locations. The RE was statistically increased by using briquette urea in both trials. More REwas obtained from the briquette urea treated plots (Table 2). The nitrogen recovery efficiency is anindex which determines the quantity of plant N uptake per unit of N fertilization. Dobermann(2005) and Aita and Giacomini (2008) argued that nitrogen recovery efficiency depends on thetiming of the plant demand with nutrient availability. This synchronism is affected by several
factors, the method of N fertilizer application, fertilizer source, fertilizer rate, quantity of residue,
type of residue, and weather conditions (Wendling et al., 2007; Amado et al., 2009). The present
investigation highlighted that Briquette urea with deep placement method could be effective
method to maximize the recovery efficiency of N in maize production.
The effect of interaction between different rates of nitrogen fertilizer and form of nitrogen
fertilizer application was not highly significant in AE of both trials (Table 2). The highest result onAE (8.26 t seed kg-1 N and 11.98 t seed kg-1 N) was found in N4 (166.29 kg N ha-1) treated withbriquette form of urea as well in Yezin (Fig. 3) and Tatkon (Fig. 4). The lowest AE (6.05 t seed kg1N, 10.07 t seed kg-1 N) was resulted from Prilled urea application with the rate of 71.27 kgN/ha(N2) in Yezin and Tatkon, respectively. The results pointed that, at the same N rate, the efficiencyof briquette urea could be attributed to increase the AE in both locations (Figs. 3 and 4). Higher AEof rice due to deep placement of N fertilizer was reported by Wang (2004), Jena et al. (2003) andNiznin et al. (2013).

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Fig. 3 Mean values of agronomic efficiency as Fig. 4 Mean values of agronomic efficiency asaffected by the different rates andaffected by the different rates and forms
forms of nitrogen fertilizer at Tatkonof nitrogen fertilizer at Yezin
Agricultural Research Farm during
Agricultural Research Farm duringmonsoon season 2017
monsoon season 2017

Fig. 5 Mean values of recovery efficiency asaffected by the different rates and formsof nitrogen fertilizer at Yezin Agricultural
Research Farm during monsoon season
2017

Fig. 6 Mean values of recovery efficiency asaffected by the different rates andforms of nitrogen fertilizer at Tatkon
Agricultural Research Farm during
monsoon season 2017

The significant response in RE to the interaction of N rates and forms of urea was detected inboth trials (Table 2). Improvement of RE with increasing N rate was found and it was ranged from150.56 to 252.79 in Yezin (Fig. 5). The least RE was found at the rate of 71.27 kg N ha-1 using
Prilled form of urea. The highest RE was obtained from briquette urea with N rate of 166.29 kg N
ha-1, N4 (Fig. 5). For the Tatkon trial, the RE was differed significantly and it was varied from506.89 to 707.42 (Fig. 6). The maximum value of RE was obtained from the N rate (118.78 kg N
ha-1, N3) with briquette form of urea. The lowest RE was accompanied with the highest N rate
166.29 kg N ha-1, N4 with Prilled urea treated plots. At the same level of applied N rates, Briquetteurea using plots gave more RE values than Prilled urea using plots (Fig. 6).
CONCLUSION
Finally, results could be summed up that hybrid maize production could be favored by higher
nitrogen rates. Application of the entire N in the form of briquette at basal with the rate of 166.29
kg N ha-1 showed better performance with respect to yield, AE of Yezin Hybrid Maize-10 compared
to band placement of split N Prilled urea. Some interaction is existed in the nitrogen recovery
efficiency and RE point out that even recommended fertilizer rate 118.78 kg N ha-1 could gain theⒸ ISERD

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high yield. The results of this experiment provided valuable information about urea deep placement
method which is environmental friendly and will not decrease the normal fertility of land. This
study suggests that briquette urea with deep placement method can be used by farmers to improve
nitrogen use efficiency and increase grain yields in hybrid maize production.
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