The optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate for maize in the US Midwest is increasing
Abstract Fertilizing maize at an optimum nitrogen rate is imperative to maximize productivity and sustainability. Using a combination of long-term (n = 379) and short-term (n = 176) experiments, we show that the economic optimum nitrogen rate for US maize production has increased by 2.7 kg N ha−1 yr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55314-7 |
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| author | Mitchell E. Baum John E. Sawyer Emerson D. Nafziger Michael J. Castellano Marshall D. McDaniel Mark A. Licht Dermot J. Hayes Matthew J. Helmers Sotirios V. Archontoulis |
| author_facet | Mitchell E. Baum John E. Sawyer Emerson D. Nafziger Michael J. Castellano Marshall D. McDaniel Mark A. Licht Dermot J. Hayes Matthew J. Helmers Sotirios V. Archontoulis |
| author_sort | Mitchell E. Baum |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Fertilizing maize at an optimum nitrogen rate is imperative to maximize productivity and sustainability. Using a combination of long-term (n = 379) and short-term (n = 176) experiments, we show that the economic optimum nitrogen rate for US maize production has increased by 2.7 kg N ha−1 yr−1 from 1991 to 2021 (1.2% per year) simultaneously with grain yields and nitrogen losses. By accounting for societal cost estimates for nitrogen losses, we estimate an environmental optimum rate, which has also increased over time but at a lower rate than the economic optimum nitrogen rate. Furthermore, we provide evidence that reducing rates from the economic to environmental optimum nitrogen rate could reduce US maize productivity by 6% while slightly reducing nitrogen losses. We call for enhanced assessments and predictability of the economic and environmental optimum nitrogen rate to meet rising maize production while avoiding unnecessary nitrogen losses. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-835c43ceb2a549079f36619c8973566f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-835c43ceb2a549079f36619c8973566f2025-01-12T12:30:33ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111010.1038/s41467-024-55314-7The optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate for maize in the US Midwest is increasingMitchell E. Baum0John E. Sawyer1Emerson D. Nafziger2Michael J. Castellano3Marshall D. McDaniel4Mark A. Licht5Dermot J. Hayes6Matthew J. Helmers7Sotirios V. Archontoulis8Department of Agronomy, Iowa State UniversityDepartment of Agronomy, Iowa State UniversityDepartment of Crop Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignDepartment of Agronomy, Iowa State UniversityDepartment of Agronomy, Iowa State UniversityDepartment of Agronomy, Iowa State UniversityDepartment of Economics, Iowa State UniversityDepartment of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State UniversityDepartment of Agronomy, Iowa State UniversityAbstract Fertilizing maize at an optimum nitrogen rate is imperative to maximize productivity and sustainability. Using a combination of long-term (n = 379) and short-term (n = 176) experiments, we show that the economic optimum nitrogen rate for US maize production has increased by 2.7 kg N ha−1 yr−1 from 1991 to 2021 (1.2% per year) simultaneously with grain yields and nitrogen losses. By accounting for societal cost estimates for nitrogen losses, we estimate an environmental optimum rate, which has also increased over time but at a lower rate than the economic optimum nitrogen rate. Furthermore, we provide evidence that reducing rates from the economic to environmental optimum nitrogen rate could reduce US maize productivity by 6% while slightly reducing nitrogen losses. We call for enhanced assessments and predictability of the economic and environmental optimum nitrogen rate to meet rising maize production while avoiding unnecessary nitrogen losses.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55314-7 |
| spellingShingle | Mitchell E. Baum John E. Sawyer Emerson D. Nafziger Michael J. Castellano Marshall D. McDaniel Mark A. Licht Dermot J. Hayes Matthew J. Helmers Sotirios V. Archontoulis The optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate for maize in the US Midwest is increasing Nature Communications |
| title | The optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate for maize in the US Midwest is increasing |
| title_full | The optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate for maize in the US Midwest is increasing |
| title_fullStr | The optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate for maize in the US Midwest is increasing |
| title_full_unstemmed | The optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate for maize in the US Midwest is increasing |
| title_short | The optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate for maize in the US Midwest is increasing |
| title_sort | optimum nitrogen fertilizer rate for maize in the us midwest is increasing |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55314-7 |
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