Recovery of Grain Yield and Protein with Fertilizer Application Post Nitrogen Stress in Winter Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.)
Unfavorable weather conditions and lack of appropriate farm machinery often delay N application. This results in nitrogen (N) deficiency during the vegetative and early reproductive growth stages of winter wheat. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of N application timings (from t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/9/2024 |
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| author | Joao Luis Bigatao Souza Joao Arthur Antonangelo Amanda de Oliveira Silva Vaughn Reed Brian Arnall |
| author_facet | Joao Luis Bigatao Souza Joao Arthur Antonangelo Amanda de Oliveira Silva Vaughn Reed Brian Arnall |
| author_sort | Joao Luis Bigatao Souza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Unfavorable weather conditions and lack of appropriate farm machinery often delay N application. This results in nitrogen (N) deficiency during the vegetative and early reproductive growth stages of winter wheat. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of N application timings (from tillering to flag leaf growth stages) on winter wheat grain yield and protein. The study was conducted across 12 site–years in Oklahoma, US. The treatments included a non-fertilized check, a pre-plant application of 100 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>, and ten in-season application timings at 100 kg of N ha<sup>−1</sup>. The in-season treatment applications were initiated at the point when an N deficiency was visually identified by comparing the pre-plant treatment to the non-fertilized check. The treatments were applied in a progressive order every seven growing degree days (GDD > 0 °C) until a cumulative GDD of 63 was reached after visual deficiency (DAVD). All in-season treatments increased grain yield and protein as compared to the non-fertilized check, showing that N was a yield-limiting factor. The nitrogen applications made post Feekes 8 decreased grain yield when compared to pre-plant applications. Across this data set, that timing corresponded to a range of 21 to 63DAVD. The results suggested that forgoing N application until the growth stage Feekes 7, even when the visual N deficiency was highly apparent before that stage, had no negative impact on the yield, and it even increased the yield as compared to the pre-plant application in some cases. The plant developmental stage at which the N application takes place is more critical than the level of N deficiency. Our results show that N fertilizer applications should be made posteriorly to the crop dormancy to maximize both yield and protein, and that plants can recover from N deficiency when applications are made until the late-vegetative phase (Feekes 7). This document shows that winter wheat producers have a much wider N application window than traditionally believed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:00:13Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:00:13Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
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| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-058387c850bd4d91ab6b074ebdc4adcd2023-11-23T14:36:06ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952022-08-01129202410.3390/agronomy12092024Recovery of Grain Yield and Protein with Fertilizer Application Post Nitrogen Stress in Winter Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.)Joao Luis Bigatao Souza0Joao Arthur Antonangelo1Amanda de Oliveira Silva2Vaughn Reed3Brian Arnall4Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USADepartment of Agriculture, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN 37044, USADepartment of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USADepartment of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USADepartment of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USAUnfavorable weather conditions and lack of appropriate farm machinery often delay N application. This results in nitrogen (N) deficiency during the vegetative and early reproductive growth stages of winter wheat. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of N application timings (from tillering to flag leaf growth stages) on winter wheat grain yield and protein. The study was conducted across 12 site–years in Oklahoma, US. The treatments included a non-fertilized check, a pre-plant application of 100 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>, and ten in-season application timings at 100 kg of N ha<sup>−1</sup>. The in-season treatment applications were initiated at the point when an N deficiency was visually identified by comparing the pre-plant treatment to the non-fertilized check. The treatments were applied in a progressive order every seven growing degree days (GDD > 0 °C) until a cumulative GDD of 63 was reached after visual deficiency (DAVD). All in-season treatments increased grain yield and protein as compared to the non-fertilized check, showing that N was a yield-limiting factor. The nitrogen applications made post Feekes 8 decreased grain yield when compared to pre-plant applications. Across this data set, that timing corresponded to a range of 21 to 63DAVD. The results suggested that forgoing N application until the growth stage Feekes 7, even when the visual N deficiency was highly apparent before that stage, had no negative impact on the yield, and it even increased the yield as compared to the pre-plant application in some cases. The plant developmental stage at which the N application takes place is more critical than the level of N deficiency. Our results show that N fertilizer applications should be made posteriorly to the crop dormancy to maximize both yield and protein, and that plants can recover from N deficiency when applications are made until the late-vegetative phase (Feekes 7). This document shows that winter wheat producers have a much wider N application window than traditionally believed.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/9/2024wheat fertilizationnitrogen timingnitrogen stress recoveryvisual deficiencywheat yieldwheat protein |
| spellingShingle | Joao Luis Bigatao Souza Joao Arthur Antonangelo Amanda de Oliveira Silva Vaughn Reed Brian Arnall Recovery of Grain Yield and Protein with Fertilizer Application Post Nitrogen Stress in Winter Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) Agronomy wheat fertilization nitrogen timing nitrogen stress recovery visual deficiency wheat yield wheat protein |
| title | Recovery of Grain Yield and Protein with Fertilizer Application Post Nitrogen Stress in Winter Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) |
| title_full | Recovery of Grain Yield and Protein with Fertilizer Application Post Nitrogen Stress in Winter Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) |
| title_fullStr | Recovery of Grain Yield and Protein with Fertilizer Application Post Nitrogen Stress in Winter Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recovery of Grain Yield and Protein with Fertilizer Application Post Nitrogen Stress in Winter Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) |
| title_short | Recovery of Grain Yield and Protein with Fertilizer Application Post Nitrogen Stress in Winter Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) |
| title_sort | recovery of grain yield and protein with fertilizer application post nitrogen stress in winter wheat i triticum aestivum i l |
| topic | wheat fertilization nitrogen timing nitrogen stress recovery visual deficiency wheat yield wheat protein |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/9/2024 |
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