Experimental study on the influence of variable rate fertilization on maize yield and soil nutrients

During 2003 and 2004, the experiments of variable rate fertilization(VRF) for maize were carried out using the VRF system, which was researched and produced by the authors themselves. VRF results in higher maize yield to a certain extent than that of traditional fertilization, and can not only cut down input but also increase output under the condition of reasonable fertilizer application rate. The analysis result of soil nutrients shows that the concentration of available N in variable-rate zone and traditional zone are both increased, but the coefficient of variance in variable-rate zone is lower than that of traditional zone; the concentration of available P in the two zones are both decreased, and the concentration of available P in variable-rate zone is much lower than that in traditional zone, and its coefficient of variance in variable-rate zone is lower too; the concentration of available K in the two zones are both increased to the same degree, however the coefficient of variance in variable-rate zone drops. Experimental results show that VRF produces some function of balancing soil nutrients.