Nitrogen in the production of green and dry mass and the efficiency of nitrogen conversion and apparent recovery of pearl millet cultivars

Abstract

The potential of dry (DM) and green (GM) matter yield, plant nitrogen concentration (NC), apparent nitrogen conversion efficiency (NCE) and apparent N recovery (ANR) of pearl millet cultivars with nitrogen fertilization are analyzed. Current experiment was conducted in the municipality of Ceres GO Brazil, within the Cerrado (Brazilian savannah) biome. A 3x4x2 randomized factorial block design was employed, with three repetitions. Treatments were composed of three pearl millet cultivars (ADR-7010, ADR-500 and BRS-1501), four N doses (0, 50, 100 and 200 kg ha-1) and two sowing times (December and February). Plants from each seeding were harvested twice at a height of 0.70 m. There was a significant effect on the interaction between cultivars and N doses. GM yield of ADR-7010 cultivar increased up to 140 kg.ha-1 of N. There was a quadratic effect of N doses on DM yield, with maximum production at 158 kg ha-1 N. The quantity of N extracted by the plants varied according to the cultivar, with BRS-1501 accumulating the highest N quantities in the shoots. Maximum NC of pearl millet shoots would be achieved with 147 kg N ha-1. The highest NCE occurred with N doses of 50 kg ha-1, with a DM yield of 11.60 kg per kg of applied N. ANR was also highest for N doses of 50 kg ha-1, with a 53% maximum recovery.