Nitrogen is the nutrient that is most absorbed by the corn crop, with the most complex management, and has the highest share on the cost of corn production. The objective of this work was to evaluate the economic viability of different rates and splitapplications of nitrogen fertilization, as such as urea, in the corn crop in a eutrophic Red Latosol (Oxisol). The study was carried out in the Experimental Station of the Regional Pole of the Sao Paulo Northwest Agribusiness Development (APTA), in Votuporanga, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks with nine treatments and four replications, consisting of five N rates: 0, 55, 95, 135 and 175 kg ha¹, 15 kg ha¹ applied in the seeding and the remainder in top dressing: 40 and 80 kg ha¹ N at forty days after seeding (DAS), or ½ + ½ at 20 and 40 DAS; 120 kg ha¹ N splitin ½ + ½ or ⅓ + ⅓ + ⅓ at 20, 40 or 60 DAS; 160 kg ha¹ N split in ¼ + ⅜ + ⅜ or ¼ + ¼ + ¼ + ¼ at 20, 40, 60 and 80 DAS. The application of 135 kg ha¹ of N split in three times provided the best benefit/cost ratio. The nonapplication of N provided the lowest economic return, proving to be unviable.
Zea mays; production cost; gross revenue; beneficial/cost; urea
