Abdou, S. M. M.; Azza. R. Ahmed and M. A. Bayoumi( 2017). Interactive Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer Forms, Irrigation Intervals and Soil
Conditioners on Maize Productivity Grown on Clay Loam Soil.
J.Soil Sci. and Agric. Eng., Mansoura Univ., Vol. 8 (11): 593 - 603, 2017
Abstract: Maize is the third important cereal crop in Egypt after wheat and rice. Injection of ammonia gas as a nitrogen fertilizer is used widely comparable with other nitrogen fertilizer forms due to the high nitrogen content (82 %) as well as its cheapest price. Two field trials were carried out at Tameia Agricultural Research Station, Fayoum Governorate, Egypt during 2014 and 2015 summer seasons to study the effect of nitrogen fertilization forms (ammonia gas 82 N% and ammonium nitrate 33.5N%), irrigation intervals and soil conditioners on yield, yield components and water use efficiency (WUE) water use efficiency of maize. Results showed that a combination of ammonia gas, irrigation at 10 days interval and application of compost caused the lowest averages of dry soil bulk density and hydraulic conductivity, whereas, this interaction also recorded the highest value of
grain yield in both seasons, as well as, higher values of concentration and uptake of N, P and K in grain. On the other hand, the treatment of ammonia gas, irrigation at 15 days and application of compost remarkably had the higher water use efficiency (WUE) than the irrigation at 10 days with the application of compost. Although, the yield production reduced by 5 to 6 % , it saves irrigation water 400m3ha-1 water. Hence, the treatment of irrigation at 15 days and application of compost is recommended for adoption in wider areas in Egypt to save irrigation water.
Keywords: (Maize, ammonia gas. ammonium nitrate, soil conditioners, water consumptive use, water use efficiency.)
