Abstract Corn cv. PRISMA response (growth, plant composition, and yield) was studied in relation to two fertilizer treatments: the high rate used in irrigated fields in SW Spain (1000 kg/ha 15–15–15 fertilizer plus two applications of 400 kg urea (46%N)/ha); and the same reduced to one‐third. Plant height (∼ 290 cm), specific leaf area (0.018 m2/g), ear weight (∼210 g), kernel weight per ear (∼185 g), and estimated yield (∼16 Mg/ha) were similar with both treatments. Plant nutrient contents were similar in the leaf level, with both treatments, although the N content of stalk and kernel (at harvest) were higher (P<0.05) when the high fertilization dose was applied. DRIS indices presented N and S as the more balanced nutrients, and in general the P and Mg contents were comparatively low, and Ca and K comparatively high. Amounts of N and P removed by corn (above‐ground part) were higher than those fertilized at the lower rate. Removed K was considerably higher than the loaded amount, whichever rate of fertilization was considered. When fertilized with a comparatively low rate (for irrigated regimes in SW Spain), the natural reserves of the previously fertilized sandy loam soil used in the assay contributed to achieve a high yield with a high‐yielding corn crop.