HANDLING OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION IN CORN CULTIVATION, AZUERO. PANAMA 1996-1998.

Abstract

The research was established in 12 locations of Azuero region. They were sowed in the second sowing season (August–January) of 1996, 1997 and 1998. Ten of 12 locations, it was observed a positive response to nitrogen application. The objective of this work was to determinate the agronomic range of the efficiency of nitrogen utilization in the form of urea (N-urea) under different application methods of this element. It was compared corn response to the application of 120 kg N/ha in the form of urea, using two and three fractions in the applications. Furthermore, it was evaluated the effect of applying different quantities or proportions of nitrogen in both, two or three applications. In total, it was evaluated four treatments and two controls, without nitrogen. The experimental design was a complete block design with four repetitions. Nitrogen application in proportion of 10% at sowing, 40 and 50% at 21 and 40 days after sowing (das), respectively, obtained increase significantly, the efficiency of nitrogen utilization (62.9%). Later applications (30 and 38 das) of high percentage of nitrogen (80 and 50%) and the application of low percentages of nitrogen at the moment of the sowing increased the efficiency of nitrogen utilization.