Effect of Times and Methods of N-Fertilizer Placement on Yields and Fertilizer Utilization of Maize-Mung Bean Intercrops as Indicated by 15N

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted, using N15-labelled urea, on a Reddish Brown Lateritic (or Paleustult) soil to examine effects of times and methods of placement of nitrogen fertilizer on the yields and fertilizer utilization of maize-mung bean intercrops. It was found that, for maize-mung bean intercrops, banding of nitrogen fertilizer 4-cm below the cereal row at seeding was best placement, since it not only gave highest fertilizer utiliza¬tion efficiency (46%) by the maize, but also tended to give highest maize grain yield. The results suggested that split application of nitrogen fertilizer was not likely to result in an increase in ferti¬lizer utilization efficiency by the cereal.