Nitrogen efficiency in oat yield through the biopolymer hydrogel

ABSTRACT The retainers of water in the soil can favor nitrogen (N) use efficiency in oat yield. The aim of the study was to determine if the conditions of use of the biopolymer hydrogel increase the fertilizer-N use efficiency in oat yield in succession systems of high and low residual-N release. In each succession system (soybean/oat, corn/oat), two experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015, one to quantify biomass yield and the other to estimate grain yield and lodging. The design was randomized blocks with four replicates in a 4 x 4 factorial scheme for hydrogel doses (0, 30, 60 and 120 kg ha-1), added in the furrow with the seed, and N fertilizer doses (0, 30, 60 and 120 kg ha-1) applied in the fourth-expanded-leaf stage. The use of hydrogel increases N use efficiency in oat yield, especially under the conditions of 30 to 60 kg ha-1 of biopolymer; however, this effect is dependent on the succession system and on weather conditions.