Effect of Nitrogen Sources, Rates, and Application Time on Spring Wheat Yield and Grain Protein
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Effect of Nitrogen Sources, Rates, and Application Time on Spring Wheat Yield and Grain Protein Olga S. Walsh, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center, Conrad, Montana JUSTIFICATION EVALUATED FACTORS Fertilizer Timing: Preplant vs Topdress Preplant Supplies N to establish crop stand Better soil/weather conditions (Randall and Schmitt, 1998) Risk of N loss (immobilization, volatilization) (Fowler and Brydon, 1989; Wuest and Cassman, 1992) Topdress Supplies N at maximum plant uptake – higher NUE (Walsh et al., in press) N fertilization after Feekes 5 – crop can catch up (Morris et. al., 2005) Enables fertilization based on crop need/yield potential Fertilizer Sources: Granular vs Liquid Granular N (urea) Up to 30% N loss as ammonia for broadcasted urea (Engel, personal communication) Urea applied with the seed – seed damage, drying out of seed bed – affects germination Liquid N (urea ammonium nitrate = UAN) Plants absorb water and nutrients through leaves (Wittwer and Teubner, 1959) Efficiency of foliar fertilizers is higher (Mosali et al., 2006) Crop injury/leaf burn (Wesley et al., 1998) MATERIALS AND METHODS 3 dryland experimental sites: Western Triangle Research Center, Conrad, MT, 2 on-farm studies (Jack Patton, Knees, Chouteau County, MT and Pat Wheeler, Valier, Pondera County, MT) Choteau spring wheat variety 4 preplant N rates (0, 40, 80, and 120 lbs N ac) 3 topdress N rates (0, 40, and 80 lb N ac) 2 topdress N fertilizer sources (granual – urea, 46-0-0, and liquid – urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) , 28-0-0) 2 topdress application times (before flowering and after flowering) To determine the most efficient N fertilizer source, N rate, and N fertilizer application time combination for optimizing Montana spring wheat yield while maximizing grain protein OBJECTIVE AKNOWLEDGEMENTS : We are grateful to: Mr. Jack Patton and Mr. Pat Wheeler for support and cooperation, Mr. Clint Rouns and Mr. John Miller (WTARC, MSU), and Dan Picard (Pondera County Extension Agent, MSU), for their expertise and support We are grateful to Montana Fertilizer Advisory Committee for funding this project Dr. Olga S. Walsh, WTARC, MSU telephone: (406)278-7707 e-mail: [email protected] web: http://ag.montana.edu/wtarc/ Nitrogen (N) - the most common nutrient limiting yield of spring wheat in Montana (Engel, 1993) Spring wheat - key cereal crop grown in Montana Wheat production represents ~ 25% of Montana’s agricultural revenue (stuffaboutstates.com, 2010) Protein content - base for established market adjustments for spring wheat, with premiums paid for increase above the baseline levels DISCUSSION Data from WTARC and Patton are evaluated for 2011 Spring wheat mean grain yield was higher at WTARC (1735 kg ha -1 ) compared to Patton (1544 kg ha -1 ) Yields ranged from 618 to 2047 kg ha -1 at WTARC and from 1262 to 2004 kg ha -1 at Patton Greater response to fertilizer N observed at WTARC; unfertilized check yielded twice as high at Patton, compared to WTARC Preplant N rate and topdress application time significantly effected yield at both sites (p<0.05) At WTARC, fertilization before flowering resulted in greater mean spring wheat yield (1432 kg ha -1 ) compared to after flowering (1274 kg ha - 1 ) Fertilizer N source had no significant effect on spring wheat yields CONTACT INFORMATION Figures 1a and 1b. Effect of fertilizer N rate, source and application time on spring wheat grain yield at WTARC (1a) and Patton (1b), 2011. 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 736 1843 1833 1231 1267 1229 1373 1513 1311 1757 1146 Treatment Spring wheat grain yield, kg ha-1 d d a b d bc cd e a cd a cd Figure 1a 1350 1400 1450 1500 1550 1600 1650 1700 1750 1478 1582 1548 1515 1488 1599 1710 1544 1643 1502 1472 Treatment Spring wheat grain yield, kg ha-1 b ab ab ab b ab a ab ab b b Figure 1b RESULTS Leaf burn apparent in spring wheat following application of UAN at 90 kg N ha -1 rate before flowering at WTARC Spring wheat grain yields were not impacted by foliar UAN application before flowering at WTARC Foliar application of UAN at 90 kg N ha -1 rate negatively impacted yields at Patton; plots topdressed at 45 kg N ha -1 rate yielded significantly higher, independent of application time.
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Effect of Nitrogen Sources, Rates, and Application Time on Spring Wheat Yield and Grain Protein. bc. cd. Olga S. Walsh , Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center, Conrad, Montana. JUSTIFICATION. RESULTS. Nitrogen (N) - the most common nutrient - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Effect of Nitrogen Sources, Rates, and Application Time on Spring Wheat Yield and Grain Protein
Effect of Nitrogen Sources, Rates, and Application Timeon Spring Wheat Yield and Grain Protein
Olga S. Walsh, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center, Conrad, Montana
JUSTIFICATION
EVALUATED FACTORSFertilizer Timing: Preplant vs Topdress
PreplantSupplies N to establish crop standBetter soil/weather conditions (Randall and
Schmitt, 1998)Risk of N loss (immobilization, volatilization)
(Fowler and Brydon, 1989; Wuest and Cassman, 1992)
TopdressSupplies N at maximum plant uptake – higher
NUE (Walsh et al., in press)N fertilization after Feekes 5 – crop can catch
up (Morris et. al., 2005)Enables fertilization based on crop need/yield
potential
Fertilizer Sources: Granular vs LiquidGranular N (urea)Up to 30% N loss as ammonia forbroadcasted urea (Engel, personal
communication) Urea applied with the seed – seed damage,
drying out of seed bed – affects germination
Liquid N (urea ammonium nitrate = UAN) Plants absorb water and nutrients through
leaves (Wittwer and Teubner, 1959) Efficiency of foliar fertilizers is higher(Mosali et al., 2006) Crop injury/leaf burn (Wesley et al., 1998)
MATERIALS AND METHODS3 dryland experimental sites: Western
Triangle Research Center, Conrad, MT, 2 on-farm studies (Jack Patton, Knees, Chouteau County, MT and Pat Wheeler, Valier, Pondera County, MT)Choteau spring wheat variety4 preplant N rates (0, 40, 80, and 120 lbs N
ac)3 topdress N rates (0, 40, and 80 lb N ac)2 topdress N fertilizer sources (granual –
urea, 46-0-0, and liquid – urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) , 28-0-0)2 topdress application times (before
flowering and after flowering)
To determine the most efficient N fertilizer source, N rate, and N fertilizer application time combination for optimizing Montana spring wheat yield while maximizing grain protein
OBJECTIVE
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS: We are grateful to: Mr. Jack Patton and Mr. Pat Wheeler for support and cooperation, Mr. Clint Rouns and Mr. John Miller (WTARC, MSU), and Dan Picard (Pondera County Extension Agent, MSU), for their expertise and support
We are grateful to Montana Fertilizer Advisory Committee for funding this project
Dr. Olga S. Walsh, WTARC, MSUtelephone: (406)278-7707
e-mail: [email protected]: http://ag.montana.edu/wtarc/
Nitrogen (N) - the most common nutrientlimiting yield of spring wheat in Montana(Engel, 1993)Spring wheat - key cereal crop grown in
MontanaWheat production represents ~ 25% of
Montana’s agricultural revenue (stuffaboutstates.com, 2010)Protein content - base for established market
adjustments for spring wheat, with premiums paid for increase above the baseline levels
DISCUSSIONData from WTARC and Patton are evaluated for
2011Spring wheat mean grain yield was higher at
WTARC (1735 kg ha-1) compared to Patton (1544 kg ha-1)Yields ranged from 618 to 2047 kg ha-1 at
WTARC and from 1262 to 2004 kg ha-1 at PattonGreater response to fertilizer N observed at
WTARC; unfertilized check yielded twice as high at Patton, compared to WTARCPreplant N rate and topdress application time
significantly effected yield at both sites (p<0.05)At WTARC, fertilization before flowering
resulted in greater mean spring wheat yield (1432 kg ha-1) compared to after flowering (1274 kg ha-1)Fertilizer N source had no significant effect on
spring wheat yields
CONTACT INFORMATION
Figures 1a and 1b. Effect of fertilizer N rate, source and application time on spring wheat grain yield at WTARC (1a) and Patton (1b), 2011.
400600800100012001400160018002000
736
1843 1833
1231 1267 12291373
15131311
1757
1146
TreatmentSp
ring
whe
at g
rain
yie
ld,
kg h
a-1
d d
ab
d
bccd
e
a
cd
a
cd
Figure 1a
135014001450150015501600165017001750
1478
15821548
1515 1488
1599
1710
1544
1643
1502 1472
Treatment
Sprin
g w
heat
gra
in y
ield
, kg
ha-
1
b
abab
abb
ab
a
ab
ab
bb
Figure 1b
RESULTS
Leaf burn apparent in spring wheat following application of UAN at 90 kg N ha-1 rate before flowering at WTARCSpring wheat grain yields were not
impacted by foliar UAN application before flowering at WTARCFoliar application of UAN at 90 kg N
ha-1 rate negatively impacted yields at Patton; plots topdressed at 45 kg N ha-1 rate yielded significantly higher, independent of application time.
