Spring Wheat Yield and Quality Related to Soil Texture and Nitrogen Fertilization

Abstract

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.

Corn yield components response to nitrogen fertilizer as a function of soil texture

“…However, the reason for this was unclear. Using similar sites to our study and the same textural groups, Nyiraneza et al (2012a) also found no effect of soil textural group on wheat grain yield. There were also significant linear and quadratic effects of N rate, as well as significant linear and quadratic N rate interactions with soil texture on grain yield (Table 3).…”

“…Potato was the only previously grown crop for the Sp soil textural group, whereas corn, soybean, and wheat were previously grown at the other textural groups, depending on year and specific location (Table 1). A previous study with wheat on similar sites also reported comparable findings on preplant soil mineral N concentration (Nyiraneza et al 2012a).…”

“…For instance, Oberle and Keeney (1990) reported that corn N requirements were 28 kg N ha −1 lower on irrigated loamy sand than on rain-fed silt loam soils in Wisconsin. In a study conducted on similar sites in Quebec and with the same soil textural groups as in our study, Nyiraneza et al (2012a) showed that the response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) quality parameters to N fertilization was influenced by surface soil texture (0-20 cm). Another study in Quebec concluded that variable-rate N fertilizer recommendations for corn can be established for withinfield soil management zones based on soil textural groups (Ziadi et al 2013).…”

Synthesis of Climate, Soil Factors, and Nitrogen Management Practices Affecting the Responses of Wheat Productivity and Nitrogen Use Efficiency to Nitrogen Fertilizer in China

“…Our results showed that there was a greater increase in yield under conditions of coarse soil texture versus fine and medium soil textures ( Figure 7A). A study also showed that N fertilization and soil textural group effects were significant on all measured parameters and their interaction was significant on grain protein content, thousand-kernel weight, test weight, and chlorophyll meter readings [24]. Soil N also influenced effects of N fertilizer on crop yield, and the lnR was found to decrease with the increase soil total N and available N ( Figure 15A,B).…”

“…Wheat N fertilizer is influenced by weather such as the temperature as well as the amount and frequency of rainfall during the growing season [24]. Wheat is one of the most sensitive crops to high temperature [25].…”