Grain Quality Responses of Durum Wheat (<i>Triticum turgium</i> L. var. durum) to N Fertilizer and Seed Rates

Abstract

In Ethiopia, knowledge about integrated seed and N fertilizer rates aimed at increasing the nutritional quality of durum wheat is limited. To full fill this gap, four levels of seed rate (i.e. 100, 125, 150, and 175 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>) and four levels of N rate (i.e. 0, 46, 92, and 138 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>) were arranged in randomized complete block design under two growing locations (environments). Results showed that the sole effects of the N fertilizer rate were a linear increment in hectoliter weight, gluten index (), and grain hardness under a high N rate. However sole effect of seed rate as well as the interaction effects of seed by N fertilizer rates did not have significant effects in all the tested grain nutritional qualities. On the other hand, interaction between the N rate and growing environment was found to be significant effects observed on the grain quality traits; grain protein content, wet, dry gluten, and gluten index were higher in Memirhager (low damp environment) combined with N application of 92 kg ha than Chefe Donsa site (high damp environment) even under higher N rate. The results of this research indicated that the aforementioned quality traits would be appreciably modified by N fertilizer, durum wheat should be grown in a low-damp environment. However, hectoliter weight, 1000-KW, and grain hardness were higher at the Chefe Donsa site. Therefore, an agronomist must consider the effects of nitrogen fertilizer, the environment, along their interaction, when aiming to optimize quality traits.