Abstract
The early planting of maize in temperate growing areas leads to yield and quality benefits, although a low soil temperature can affect the early nutrient uptake and delay plant development. Not only can the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) uptake be limited, but that of zinc (Zn) can also be affected. Moreover, the application of N and P at early growth stages can result in an enhancement of maize growth. Two field experiment were carried out in North Italy during the 2012–14 period to: i) evaluate the most effective Zn application strategy by comparing seed, soil and foliar applications with an untreated control; ii) investigate the role of a Zn seed treatment on the early development and yield of maize grown in three different types of soils. The effect of Zn application was compared, in both experiments, to starter NP fertilization in bands at planting, according to a full factorial design. Zn fertilization significantly enhanced the early vigor and yield of the maize, although the effects were less pronounced than those of the NP fertilizer. Among the Zn fertilization strategies, maize growth was quicker for the seed and soil applications than for the foliar application or the untreated control. The former application significantly increased the plant height at stem elongation (+32%), shortened the planting-flowering period by 1 day, and increased the grain yield by 4%. Overall, the application of NP starter fertilizer shortened the planting-flowering period by 4.5 days and increased the yield by 10%, compared to the unfertilized control. In the second experiment, higher plant vigor indices were detected in all the soils for the NP starter fertilization (+22–27%) and for the Zn seed treatment (+3–9%) than in the controls. The NP starter fertilization reduced the grain moisture at harvest by 2.3% and increased grain yield by 14%, while the Zn treatment significantly increased the kernel weight but did not affect the grain yield or the moisture content. The interaction between the NP fertilization and the Zn treatment was never significant. Thus, the positive effect of Zn on the early vigor was an additional benefit to that produced by the starter NP fertilization. The study demonstrated that a Zn application at planting, with both a seed dressing and a soil treatment, significantly enhanced the early growth of different maize hybrids, in different growing seasons and soils, although the use of a NP starter fertilization led to more consistent agronomic benefits. Furthermore, the combination of NP and Zn starter fertilization resulted in a further advantage for all the considered production situations.
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Claims 15
Claim · model-written summary
Zn fertilization significantly enhanced the early vigor and yield of maize, less than NP fertilizer did, compared with an untreated control in North Italy.
- Treatment
- Zn fertilizatione1
- Outcome
- early vigor and yielde1
- Direction
- enhancede1
- Qualifier
- less pronounced than those of the NP fertilizere1
- Comparator
- untreated controle0
- Setting
- North Italye0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Two field experiment were carried out in North Italy during the 2012–14 period to: i) evaluate the most effective Zn application strategy by comparing seed, soil and foliar applications with an untreated control”
e1“Zn fertilization significantly enhanced the early vigor and yield of the maize, although the effects were less pronounced than those of the NP fertilizer”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize growth was quicker for seed and soil Zn applications than for foliar application or the untreated control.
- Treatment
- seed and soil applicationse2
- Outcome
- maize growthe2
- Direction
- quickere2
- Comparator
- foliar application or the untreated controle2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e2“Among the Zn fertilization strategies, maize growth was quicker for the seed and soil applications than for the foliar application or the untreated control”
Claim · model-written summary
The former application (seed and soil Zn applications) significantly increased maize plant height at stem elongation by 32%.
- Treatment
- The former applicatione3
- Outcome
- plant height at stem elongatione3
- Direction
- increasede3
- Value
- +32%e3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“The former application significantly increased the plant height at stem elongation (+32%), shortened the planting-flowering period by 1 day, and increased the grain yield by 4%”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The former application (seed and soil Zn applications) shortened the planting-flowering period of maize by 1 day.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“The former application significantly increased the plant height at stem elongation (+32%), shortened the planting-flowering period by 1 day, and increased the grain yield by 4%”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The former application (seed and soil Zn applications) increased maize grain yield by 4%.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“The former application significantly increased the plant height at stem elongation (+32%), shortened the planting-flowering period by 1 day, and increased the grain yield by 4%”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
NP starter fertilization shortened the maize planting-flowering period by 4.5 days compared with unfertilized control.
- Treatment
- NP starter fertilizere4
- Outcome
- planting-flowering periode4
- Direction
- shortenede4
- Value
- 4.5 dayse4
- Comparator
- unfertilized controle4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e4“Overall, the application of NP starter fertilizer shortened the planting-flowering period by 4.5 days and increased the yield by 10%, compared to the unfertilized control”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
NP starter fertilization increased maize yield by 10% compared with unfertilized control.
- Treatment
- NP starter fertilizere4
- Outcome
- yielde4
- Direction
- increasede4
- Value
- 10%e4
- Comparator
- unfertilized controle4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e4“Overall, the application of NP starter fertilizer shortened the planting-flowering period by 4.5 days and increased the yield by 10%, compared to the unfertilized control”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
In the second experiment, NP starter fertilization raised maize plant vigor indices by +22–27% over controls in all soils.
- Treatment
- NP starter fertilizatione5
- Outcome
- plant vigor indicese5
- Direction
- highere5
- Value
- +22–27%e5
- Comparator
- controlse5
- Setting
- all the soilse5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“higher plant vigor indices were detected in all the soils for the NP starter fertilization (+22–27%) and for the Zn seed treatment (+3–9%) than in the controls”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
In the second experiment, Zn seed treatment raised maize plant vigor indices by +3–9% over controls in all soils.
- Treatment
- Zn seed treatmente5
- Outcome
- plant vigor indicese5
- Direction
- highere5
- Value
- +3–9%e5
- Comparator
- controlse5
- Setting
- all the soilse5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“higher plant vigor indices were detected in all the soils for the NP starter fertilization (+22–27%) and for the Zn seed treatment (+3–9%) than in the controls”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
NP starter fertilization reduced maize grain moisture at harvest by 2.3%.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e6“The NP starter fertilization reduced the grain moisture at harvest by 2.3% and increased grain yield by 14%, while the Zn treatment significantly increased the kernel weight but did not affect the grain yield or the moisture content”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
NP starter fertilization increased maize grain yield by 14%.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e6“The NP starter fertilization reduced the grain moisture at harvest by 2.3% and increased grain yield by 14%, while the Zn treatment significantly increased the kernel weight but did not affect the grain yield or the moisture content”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Zn treatment significantly increased maize kernel weight.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e6“The NP starter fertilization reduced the grain moisture at harvest by 2.3% and increased grain yield by 14%, while the Zn treatment significantly increased the kernel weight but did not affect the grain yield or the moisture content”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Zn treatment did not affect maize grain yield or grain moisture content.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e6“The NP starter fertilization reduced the grain moisture at harvest by 2.3% and increased grain yield by 14%, while the Zn treatment significantly increased the kernel weight but did not affect the grain yield or the moisture content”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The interaction between NP fertilization and Zn treatment was never significant for maize.
- Treatment
- the NP fertilization and the Zn treatmente7
- Outcome
- interactione7
- Direction
- no_changeinferrede7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e7“The interaction between the NP fertilization and the Zn treatment was never significant”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The combination of NP and Zn starter fertilization resulted in a further advantage for maize in all considered production situations.
- Treatment
- the combination of NP and Zn starter fertilizatione7
- Outcome
- advantagee7
- Direction
- further advantagee7
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e7“Furthermore, the combination of NP and Zn starter fertilization resulted in a further advantage for all the considered production situations”
t0“early maize development and grain yield”
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