Sources, rates and fractional topdressing of nitrogen fertilizers for irrigated common bean

The adoption of conservation tillage systems has been increasing considerably in the last years, and one of the necessary technologies in those systems include nitrogen top dressing. During three consecutive years, two experiments were conducted in oxisol (Perferic Red Latossol), with the objective of comparing the effects of different doses of N (urea and ammonium sulfate) and determine the necessity of split application of N during the growth cycle of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The evaluation criteria were grain yield and financial analysis. A split plot design arranged in randomized complete block was used with nitrogen doses (0, 60, 90, 120 and 150 kg ha(-1) de N) as main plots and the number of N applications of top dressing (P1 = 30 days after the emergence of plants (dae); P2 = 15 and 30 days dae; P3 = 15, 30 and 45 dae) as sub-plots. The experiments with urea and ammonium sulfate were conducted separately. The two sources of N were compared by combined analysis of these two experiments. The urea and ammonium sulfate did not differ significantly, in relation to grain yield, during 1999 and 2001 growing seasons. The split application of N two or three times resulted in significant increase in grain yield larger than the application just once, to the 30 dae. The dose can vary from 120 to 150 kg ha(-1) of N, being the urea fertilizer that presented larger markup.