Nitrogen uptake curve of silage corn grown on three dairies in
the Modesto area. Uptake was determined by harvesting the
aboveground biomass at different times during corn
development.
Corn plants took up little N until they reached the 6-leaf
stage (V6). Between the 6-leaf and the milk stage (R3),
however, N uptake rates were high. When corn reached the
tasseling stage (VT), it had taken up 60% or more of the total
N. [2].
Almost the entire aboveground biomass is removed when silage
corn is harvested. We estimated that less than 10% of the
aboveground N is left in the field with the stubble.
Yield and N removed from the field with silage corn. The overall average is weighted for the number of observations in each trial. More information can be found here [1].