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Site-specific management of pH-induced iron chlorosis of maize

Ferguson, R.B. and Kyaw, T. and Adamchuk, V.I. and Tarkalson, D.D. and McCallister, D.L. (2007) Site-specific management of pH-induced iron chlorosis of maize. pp. 151-156. In: Stafford, J.V. (ed.) Proceedings of 6th European Conference on Precision Agriculture. Greece-Skiathos, 2007/06/03-06.

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Abstract

A study was conducted over nine site/years in Nebraska, USA between 2004 and 2005 to evaluate
the potential to predict chlorosis-prone areas within fields which are relatively stable in space
and time. The study also investigated the potential benefits of site-specific cultivar management
according to chlorosis pressure. Sites were mapped for soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa)
at two depths (0-30 cm and 0-90 cm), and soil pH at a depth of 10 cm. Sites were also sampled by
hand on a regular grid to a depth of 20 cm and analyzed for a range of soil properties. Sites were
evaluated in-season with natural color and near-infrared imagery, and at the end of the season by
yield mapping. In all or a portion of each field, replicated paired strips of two maize cultivars were
planted, one considered susceptible to iron chlorosis (P34N42), another with similar characteristics
but tolerant to iron chlorosis (P34B99). Detailed evaluation of the ability to predict iron chlorosisprone
areas was conducted over 3 site/years. Management zones were delineated using combinations
of yield data, biCa and vegetation indices derived from aerial imagery. Across all locations, grid
sampled pH ranged from 6.1 to 9.1; on-the-go pH ranged from 4.9 to 9.2; shallow ECa ranged from
0.1 to 39 InSini: deep ECa ranged From 0.2 to 152 mS/rn. For one field, planted to maize one year
and soybean the next, two chlorosis management zones were consistently delineated both years,
with similar spatial relationships. For another field, soil water holding capacity was a larger yield
limiting factor than iron chlorosis and management zones for iron chlorosis could riot be delineated.
For 8 site/years where paired strips of chlorosis-prone or tolerant cultivars were planted, no distinct
advantage of site-specific maize cultivar management was found based on yield response of the
two cultivars evaluated. Generally P34B99 yields were superior to P34N42 regardless of the level
of chlorosis pressure. This study found spatial information on factors conducive to iron chlorosis
can be useful in delineating chlorosis-prone areas within fields_ However, other yield limiting
[-actors may confound delineation of zones strictly for chlorosis management. Successful spatial
cultivar selection for iron chlorosis management will require the use of cultivars with response
characteristics which differ more than those used in this study.

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
NWISRL Publication Number: 1227
Subjects: Irrigated crops > Corn / maize
Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User: Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited: 20 Nov 2010 21:56
Last Modified: 31 Oct 2016 17:10
Item ID: 964
URI: https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/964