Yield and Nitrogen Uptake of Corn in Corn after Soybean Cropping

Soybean can produce high-N residue due to N-fixation, so soybean rotation may increase yield of subsequent corn and reduce N fertilizer on the corn fairly. To find out the contribution of nitrogen to subsequent corn following soybean cultivation, soil nitrate, corn yield, and nitrogen uptake were measured for three continuous corn cropping years after soybean rotation. Three N rates of 0, 80, and 160 kg/ha were applied to three continuous corn following soybean cropping. At 6-leaf stage, soil nitrate amount at the soil depth of 0-30cm ranged from 60 to 80 kgN/ha higher in the first corn cropping year than that in the second and third corn cropping years. Judging from corn N status such as SPAD value, N concentration of ear-leaf and stover at silking stage, N contribution of previous soybean to corn in the first corn year was N fertilizer of approximately 80 kg N/ha. Stover N uptake at silking stage increased from 47 to 52 kg N/ha at the 0, and 80 kg N/ha of N rates in the first corn cropping year compared with those in the second and third corn cropping years. Corn grain yield at the 0 kg N/ha of N rate was 6-7 ton/ha higher in the first corn cropping year than that in the second and third corn cropping years, respectively. When compared the first corn year following soybean cropping with the second and third corn cropping years, N uptake of grain and stover at harvest with low N rates such as 0 and 80 kg N/ha increased from 45 to 67kg N/ha, from 35 to 60 kg N/ha, respectively. N uptake of whole plant by soybean rotation increased from 93 to 118 kg N/ha in the first year compared with that in the second and third corn cropping years. However, the N contribution by soybean cropping was small in the second and third continuous corn cropping years. Therefore, it was concluded that the nitrogen fertilizer of 80-100 kg N/ha in the first corn cropping year could be saved by soybean rotation and annual alternative corn-soybean rotation could be the best rotation system.