THE EFFECTS OF IRRIGATION AND NITROGEN APPLICATION RATES ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF CORN IN THE STEPPE ZONE OF UKRAINE

The given experimental data testifies that nitrogen fertilizers can be effectively introduced with irrigation water (fertigation). The advantages of fertigation in comparison with the traditional technology of introduction of mineral fertilizers of brushwood are shown for production of corn grain in conditions of the northern part of Ukraine’s Steppe zone Nitrates migrate from the root layer and is gradually impoverished when nitrogen fertilizer introduced in the autumn. By the period of intense need for N (10-12 leaves), nitrates in the soil were less than in the phase of 5-6 leaves, 15.3%, and in the phase of milk ripeness of grain their content was 50.3%. It is advisable to add N fertilizers to irrigated water in the following proportions: 40% of the overall dose during the period of 10-12 leaves, 40% - in the phase of pinnacle ejection and 20% in the phase of milky ripeness of grain. The corn grain yield of was increased up to 10.3 t/ha when the trial of N fertilizer application include 3 times of fertigation. The protein content of the grain increased with fertigation.It is advisable to add N fertilizers to irrigated water in the following proportions: 40% of the overall dose during the period of 10-12 leaves, 40% - in the phase of pinnacle ejection and 20% in the phase of milky ripeness of grain.