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Synchronizing nitrogen fertilizer application to crop nitrogen needs
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14 March 2024

Nitrogen synchrony refers to nitrogen (N) availability in the soil being closely aligned in space and time with the N requirements of crop plants. However, due to large temporal and spatial variability in the availability of soil N across regions, there is considerable potential for asynchrony between N supply and crop N demand. Synchronizing fertilizer N application to crop N requirements involves managing fertilizer N using strategies that lead to ‘just-in-time N supply’, i.e., the quantity is not excessive or deficient throughout the cropping season. Whether using split applications of fertilizer N, precision agriculture tools such as chlorophyll meters and canopy reflectance sensors, or fertilizer source modification, these strategies have been formulated over the last 20 to 30 years to concomitantly increase crop yield and the efficiency of fertilizer N use. This chapter explores the causes of N asynchrony and evaluates the strategies that have been developed to synchronize fertilizer N application to crop N requirements.
TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Agriculture / Sustainable Agriculture, Agronomy and crop production, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Agriculture / Agronomy / Crop Science, SCIENCE / Environmental Science, Sustainability, Sustainable agriculture, Agricultural science
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Why there is asynchrony between crop nitrogen demand, soil nitrogen supply and fertilizer nitrogen application
- 3 Improving fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency through synchronizing fertilizer nitrogen application with soil nitrogen and crop
- 4 Innovative nitrogen management strategies: in-season monitoring of crop nitrogen and/or biomass status
- 5 Innovative nitrogen management strategies: site-specific nutrient management using split applications
- 6 Innovative nitrogen management strategies: management zones
- 7 Innovative nitrogen management strategies: enhanced efficiency fertilizers
- 8 Conclusion and future trends
- 9 Where to look for further information
- 10 References