Combined application of nitrogen and phosphorus to enhance nitrogen use efficiency and close the wheat yield gap on varying soils in semi‐arid conditions

Abstract

A primary driver of the wheat yield gap in Australia and globally is the supply of nitrogen (N) and options to increase N use efficiency (NUE) are fundamental to closure of the yield gap. Co-application of N with phosphorus (P) is suggested as an avenue to increase fertiliser NUE, and inputs of N and P fertiliser are key variable costs in low rainfall cereal crops. Within field variability in the response to nutrients due to soil and season offers a further opportunity to refine inputs for increased efficiency.The response of wheat to N fertiliser input (0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 kg N ha -1 ) under four levels of P fertiliser (0, 5, 10 and 20 kg P ha −1 ) was measured on three key low rainfall cropping soils (dune, mid-slope and swale) across a dune-swale system in a low rainfall semi-arid environment in South Australia, for three successive cropping seasons.Wheat on sandy soils produced significant and linear yield and protein responses across all three seasons, while wheat on a clay loam only produced a yield response in a high rainfall season. Responses to P fertiliser were measured on the sandy soils but more variable in nature and a consistent effect of increased P nutrition leading to increased NUE was not measured. K E Y W O R D Sdryland, fertiliser responsiveness, nutrition

Seed row placement relative to the previous crop stubble row can harness systems benefits on water repellent sands

“…Fertility and the adequate supply of nutrition, in particular nitrogen, to cereal crops remains a significant challenge in water repellent sands (McBeath et al 2019;Unkovich et al 2020). In Experiment 2 nutrient and biochar inputs were combined to boost seed row fertility.…”

Reduced N Application Rate in Sunflower Production Through Supplying P and K Need and Dense-Planting: a Modeling and Optimization Approach by RSM

“…In another study by Duan et al (2014), NUE was elevated after adding P fertilizer in rice and wheat production. On the other hand, Mcbeath et al (2019) declared that the effects of P input on NUE were inconsistent over the experimental sites and seasons.…”