Predicting Economic Optimal Nitrogen Rate with the Anaerobic Potentially Mineralizable Nitrogen Test

Abstract

<p>Estimates of mineralizable N with the anaerobic potentially mineralizable N (PMN_an) test could improve predictions of corn (<em>Zea mays</em> L.) economic optimal N rate (EONR). A study across eight US midwestern states was conducted to quantify the predictability of EONR for single and split N applications by PMN_an. Treatment factors included different soil sample timings (pre-plant and V5 development stage), planting N rates (0 and 180 kg N ha⁻¹), and incubation lengths (7, 14, and 28 d) with and without initial soil NH₄–N included with PMN_an. Soil was sampled (0–30 cm depth) before planting and N application and at V5 where 0 or 180 kg N ha⁻¹ were applied at planting. Evaluating across all soils, PMN_an was a weak predictor of EONR (<em>R</em>² ≤ 0.08; RMSE, ≥67 kg N ha⁻¹), but the predictability improved (15%) when soils were grouped by texture. Using PMN_an and initial soil NH₄–N as separate explanatory variables improved EONR predictability (11–20%) in fine-textured soils only. Delaying PMN_an sampling from pre-plant to V5 regardless of N fertilization improved EONR predictability by 25% in only coarse-textured soils. Increasing PMN_an incubations beyond 7 d modestly improved EONR predictability (<em>R</em>² increased ≤0.18, and RMSE was reduced ≤7 kg N ha⁻¹). Alone, PMN_an predicts EONR poorly, and the improvements from partitioning soils by texture and including initial soil NH₄–N were relatively low (<em>R</em>² ≤ 0.33; RMSE ≥ 68 kg N ha⁻¹) compared with other tools for N fertilizer recommendations.</p>