DOI: 10.5061/dryad.5x69p8dhw
title: Assessing pre‐plant nitrogen sources and waterlogging on corn growth and yield

description: Flooding and waterlogging from strong storms can negatively affect corn
 (Zea mays L.) growth and yield. Ensuring adequate nitrogen (N) supply
 after waterlogging is key to optimizing corn yield, though limited
 evaluations of enhanced efficiency fertilizers have been conducted in
 conjunction with waterlogging conditions. The objective was to quantify
 how different pre‐plant incorporated N sources and post‐emergence
 waterlogging affect corn N uptake, yield, and efficiency of applied N. A
 split‐plot randomized complete block design was conducted in two locations
 from 2021–2023. Waterlogging regimes (0 or 4 days) were implemented by
 applying water at the V4–V6 growth stage. Pre‐plant incorporated N source
 was the subplot factor consisting of a non‐fertilized control or 200 lbs N
 acre−1 applied as urea (U; 46–0–0) or urea‐ammonium nitrate (UAN; 28–0–0)
 alone or combined with either nitrapyrin or N‐(n‐butyl) thiophosphoric
 triamide (NBPT), and polymer‐coated urea (PCU, 44–0–0). The optimum ear
 leaf N concentration at R1 (2.75%–3.50%) was only achieved with U and PCU
 when waterlogging occurred. Waterlogging reduced grain yield by 9% to 25%,
 while N source (across waterlogging treatments) increased grain yield over
 the non‐fertilized treatment by 14% to 45% or 236% to 343%, depending on
 location. Grain yield was optimized with U, PCU, and U with nitrapyrin
 regardless of waterlogging conditions. Dry fertilizer sources also
 resulted in higher partial factor productivity compared to UAN treatments.
 These results suggest that dry N sources of U, PCU, or U with nitrapyrin
 should be considered in regions prone to waterlogging to optimize corn
 grain yield.
description: # Assessing pre‐plant nitrogen sources and waterlogging on corn growth and
 yield Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.5x69p8dhw](10.5061/dryad.5x69p8dhw) ##
 Description of the data and file structure This dataset contains measured
 values from a study conducted in Ohio to assess how pre-plant nitrogen
 sources affected corn growth and yield in the presence or absence of
 waterlogging. Data includes soil measurements during flooding and corn
 growth and yield parameters. Blank or empty cells within a column indicate
 that no data were available or collected for the given experimental unit.
 Variables and treatment designations as defined for this project are
 presented below, with the first tab of the data file also containing
 sheet-specific definitions of each column. ### Files and variables ####
 File: Novais_et_al_2025_N_sources_published.xlsx | **Article DOI** |
 **[https://doi.org/10.1002/cft2.70071](https://doi.org/10.1002/cft2.70071)** | | :---------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Authors | Wanderson Novais  | | 
 
 | Christine D. Sprunger | | 
 
 | Meredith Mann | | 
 
 | Laura E. Lindsey | | 
 
 | Osler A. Ortez | | 
 
 | Alexander J. Lindsey  | | Title | Assessing pre-plant nitrogen sources
 and waterlogging on corn growth and yield | | Journal | Crop, Forage and
 Turfgrass Management | | Experiment  | Nitrogen sources and waterlogging 
 | | Site Location | Custar, Ohio (NWARS); Wooster, Ohio (OARDC) | | Blank
 or Empty Cells | Blank cells indicate no data was available or collected
 for the given column for that specific experimental unit. | | **Variables
 named in dataset:** | **Description:** | | Replication | Random factor.
 Replication of the treatments (rep) | | Plot | Experimental unit  | | Year
 | Year when the experiment was established. 2021, 2022, and 2023.  | |
 Waterlogging duration (WD) | Fixed factor. 0-day = no flooding applied;
 4-days = 4 days of waterlogging. | | Nitrogen Source (N source) | Fixed
 factor; Unfertilized = Unfertilized control (unfertilized); U= plain urea
 (46N-0P-0K); U + nitrapyrin = U combined with a nitrification inhibitor
 (5.65 mL Instinct II kg-1 U, Corteva AgriSciences); U + NBPT = urease
 inhibitor (U + N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT); 2.10 mL N-save
 kg-1 U, PCT Sunrise); UAN= liquid plain urea ammonium nitrate (28N-0P-0K);
 UAN + nitrapyrin = U combined with a nitrification inhibitor (5.65 mL
 Instinct II kg-1 U, Corteva AgriSciences); UAN + NBPT = urease inhibitor
 (U + N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT); 2.10 mL N-save kg-1 U,
 PCT Sunrise); PCU = polymer-coated urea (PCU, 44N-0P-0K) (ESN smart
 nitrogen, Nutrien). | | Days after waterlogging initiation (DAWI) |
 Calendar date on which a specific metric was collected after waterlogging
 treatments were initiated. An integer between 0 and 21. | | Volumetric
 Water Content (VWC) | Volumetric water content in m3 m-3 using a soil
 temperature and moisture sensor (CS655, Campbell Scientific, Logan, UT)  |
 | Soil Temperature | Soil temperature measured in ºC using a soil
 temperature and moisture sensor (CS655, Campbell Scientific, Logan, UT)  |
 | Change in Population | Change in population pre-(standpre\_ha) and
 post-waterlogging (standpost\_ha); units of plants ha-1. | | Ear leaf N  |
 Ear leaf N (earleafN) concentration measured at R1 growth stage; units of
 g kg-1. | | Ear leaf K | Ear leaf K concentration measured at R1 growth
 stage; units of g kg-1. | | Grain yield | Harvested grain yield from the
 center two rows converted to kg ha-1 | | 100-kernel weight | 100-kernel
 weight from the harvested grain yield from the center two rows; units of
 grams. | | Partial Factor of Productivity (PFP) | Partial factor of
 productivity (PFP) in kg kg-1 used to measure nutrient use efficiency
 (NUE). |