CORN GRAIN QUALITY AS AFFECTED BY SOIL PROPERTIES MANAGEMENT AND LANDSCAPE

摘要

Grain production and quality are influenced by many factors including field management and underlying soil properties. The inherent spatial variability of soil across the landscape causes plant productivity and quality to be spatially correlated to the soil. This study evaluated the effect of soil properties, soil landscape, and crop management on corn grain production and quality. Soil landscape position had an effect on the variability of corn grain production and quality parameters such as protein, oil, and starch. Yield in this study increased with increasing levels of nitrogen fertilization. The effect of soil properties on yield was temporally related. Protein concentration was positively correlated to the nitrogen fertilization rate and was also higher in well-drained, upper soil profile positions. The range of oil concentrations in this study was very low. The level of oil in the corn grain was most affected by slope and slope aspect. Grain from corn planted on steeper south-facing slopes had the highest oil concentration. Oil also appeared to be temporally influenced. Lack of soil moisture prohibited higher starch concentrations in corn grain. Poorly drained, lower soil profile positions correlated positively to starch concentrations in corn.