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Spring Wheat Yield and Quality Related to Soil Texture and Nitrogen Fertilization
Author(s) -
Nyiraneza Judith,
Cambouris Athy.,
Ziadi Noura,
Tremblay Nicolas,
Nolin Michel C.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj2011.0342
Subject(s) - sowing , agronomy , nitrogen , test weight , human fertilization , yield (engineering) , zoology , soil texture , growing season , grain yield , chemistry , soil water , biology , materials science , ecology , organic chemistry , metallurgy
Efficient N fertilization is crucial for economic wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) production and is of great agronomical and environmental significance. A study was conducted at 12 site‐years in eastern Canada to evaluate the effect of soil surface textural groups, N rate (0–200 kg N ha −1 ) and application timing on grain yield (GY), N uptake, nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUE), grain protein content (GPC), test weight, and thousand kernel weight (TKW). Chlorophyll meter readings (CMR) were taken at tillering and at flowering to assess in‐season wheat N nutrition. Fertilization and soil textural group effects were significant on all measured parameters and their interaction was significant on GPC, TKW, test weight, and CMR. Total N uptake and GPC ranged from 39 to 96 kg N ha −1 and from 13 to 18 g kg −1 , respectively, and total N uptake increased proportionally to N rates. Applying N levels >120 kg N ha −1 did not increase total yield, test weight, TKW, or CMR values. The variation in GY, N uptake, and GPC explained by the relative CMR taken at flowering was 87, 88, and 73%, respectively. This study demonstrates that in‐season wheat N nutrition can be monitored by CMR and that surface soil texture is an important parameter that influences wheat N response and wheat quality parameters. Applying half of the recommended rate (120 kg ha −1 ) at planting and the rest at tillering resulted in a high total yield, high grain N uptake, and the highest GPC price premium.