Recent research highlights that an optimal fertilizer strategy can significantly enhance maize growth and nitrogen efficiency. The study, published in Scientific Reports, focused on the effects of integrating slow-release nitrogen fertilizers with urea on maize yield, nitrogen uptake, and water use efficiency across two different tillage methods. Conducted at the Dongyang Experimental Base of Universitas Pertanian Shanxi Selama dua musim tumbuh, penelitian ini berkonsentrasi pada bagaimana strategi pupuk ini mempengaruhi pertumbuhan tanaman, terutama dalam kombinasi dengan praktik pengolahan tanah yang berbeda .
Maize stands as a critical global food crop, and its yield optimization is crucial. The prevalent use of chemical fertilizers has sparked concerns over diminishing nitrogen use efficiency and environmental impacts. This study addresses these issues by exploring the joint application of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer and urea, aiming to strike a balance between cost-effectiveness and Produktivitas .
Employing randomized block designs, the research tested various fertilization treatments, including mixtures of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer and urea. Findings revealed notable improvements with the combined strategy, especially when maintaining an optimal ratio of 70% slow-release to 30% urea, referred to as UNS2. This specific formulation was identified as beneficial for enhancing water use efficiency, dry matter akumulasi, penyerapan nitrogen, dan hasil jagung keseluruhan .
During the field trials, different groups were monitored to assess parameters such as water consumption, growth stages, and the dry weight of plants at maturity. Formulations that combined fertilizers consistently outperformed traditional applications of solely urea or slow-release fertilizers. For instance, under the rotary tillage method, UNS2 demonstrated a yield increase of over 56% compared to untreated Kontrol .
