Nitrogen fertilization is an important factor for the increment of the out-of-season maize grains yield (sown after soybean harvest, in the autumn-winter season) in the States of Paraná, São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso and Goiás. An experimental trial was set up aiming at the evaluation of grain yielding potential and other agronomic characters of the out-of-season maize cultivar AG-3010, as a result of five N doses (30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 kg.ha-1) and four ways of N application (E1= all N applied at sowing; E2, E3, and E4 = 1/3 of the total N applied at the sowing and 2/3 when the plants had four, eight, and ten expanded leaves, respectively). A randomized complete block design was used (5 x 4 + 1 factorial model), with four replications. Plant height, ear height, leaf dry matter, leaf N content and grain yield were scored in all experimental plots. The best results for all evaluated characters were achieved with 120 kg.ha-1 N fertilization, at the stage of four to eight expanded leaves, with 1/3 of N applied at the sowing. Also, up to 60 kg.ha-1 N, there was no need of fractioning the total N dosis.
Zea mays; nitrogen fertilization; out-of season maize
