A 2-year study was conducted in Mossoró county, Brazil, under sprinkler irrigation conditions, to evaluate the effects of timing and split applications of nitrogen fertilizer (120 kg N ha-1 as ammonium sulphate) on green ears yield of maize. The total number and weight of ears with husk and number and weight of marketable ears with and without husk were evaluated. A randomized block design with four replications was used. The applied treatments were: whole N application in preplanting (1-0-0) or side dressed at 25 (0-1-0) or at 45 (0-0-1) days after planting and split applications (0-1/3-2/3, 1/3-0-2/3, 1/3-2/3-0, 0-1/2-1/2, 1/2-0-1/2, 1/2-1/2-0, 0-2/3-1/3, 2/3-0-1/3, 2/3-1/3-0 and 1/3-1/3-1/3). The effects of the treatments were independent of the effects of years. The (0-0-1) and (0-1/3-2/3) treatments, in general, resulted in the highest yield, but other treatments also gave similar yields. The worse yield was obtained with 1-0-0 treatment.
Zea mays L.; green corn; timing of N application
