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Nitrogen Distribution, Yield, and Quality of Silage Corn after Foliar Nitrogen Fertilization

Dep. of Food Sci. and Agric. Chem. Macdonald College, McGill Univ., 21,111 Lakeshore Road Ste-Anne de Bellevue, P.Q., Canada, H9X 1C0

A. F. MacKenzie^* and G. R. Mehuys

Dep. of Renewable Resources, Macdonald College, McGill Univ., 21,111 Lakashore Road Ste-Anne de Bellevue, P.Q., Canada, H9X 1C0

^* Corresponding author.

Forage corn (Zea mays L.) is an important crop because of its high energy content; however, an improvement in the protein quality of forage corn would be desirable. In some instances foliar N fertilization has resulted in improved yield of corn. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of foliar applied N on yields and on forage protein quality. Foliar urea spray (20 kg urea N ha^–1) was applied to DeKalb W-844 corn at two growth stages: 10% silking and 4 wk after the 10% silking stage. The field experiment was carried out on a Ste-Rosalie clay (very fine silty, mixed, non-acid, mesic) and an Ormstown silty clay (fine silty, mixed, non-acid,mesic), both Typic Humaquepts, in the 1984 and 1985 growing seasons. Applied urea Was not detectable on the leaf surface of the plants by the thud day following spraying. A transitory increase in the urea-N and nonprotein N contents was observed 1 d after the spray. By the third day following the spray, there was no difference in the urea-N and nonprotein N contents of sprayed and non-sprayed plants. The effects of the foliar sprays on whole-plant yield, grain yield, and protein quality of corn silage were not consistent. In general, the second spray resulted in increased protein yields. The results suggest that, although the foliar-applied urea was absorbed by the corn plants in all cases, its effect on yields and protein quality of the corn silage was variable.

Received for publication March 24, 1988.