Abstract
The study was conducted in 2012 and 2013 at three locations in North Central and Western Montana (total of 6 site-years) to evaluate the relative efficacy of three liquid nitrogen (N) fertilizer sources, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN, 32-0-0), liquid urea (LU, 21-0-0), and High NRGN (HNRGN, 27-0-0-1S), in spring wheat (Triticum aestivumL.). In addition to at-seeding urea application at 90 kg N ha−1to all treatments (except for the unfertilized check plot), the liquid fertilizers were applied utilizing an all-terrain vehicle- (ATV-) mounted stream-bar equipped sprayer at a rate of 45 kg N ha−1at Feekes 5 growth stage (early tillering). Three dilution ratios of fertilizer to water were accessed: 100/0 (undiluted), 66/33, and 33/66. The effects of N source and the dilution ratio (fertilizer/water) on N uptake (NUp), N use efficiency (NUE), spring wheat grain yield (GY), grain protein (GP) content, and protein yield (PY) were assessed. The dilution ratios had no effect on GY, GP, PY, NUp, and NUE at any of the site-years in this study. Taking into account agronomic and economic factors, LU can be recommended as the most suitable liquid N fertilizer source for spring wheat cropping systems of the Northern Great Plains.
Highlights
Wheat is the main food grain produced in the United States [1]
The dilution ratios had no effect on grain yield (GY), grain protein (GP), protein yield (PY), N uptake (NUp), and N use efficiency (NUE) at any of the site-years in this study
The effect of N source on GY was more pronounced in 2012, compared to 2013, in both growing seasons, HNRGN resulted in higher yields compared to UAN
Summary
Wheat is the main food grain produced in the United States [1]. Wheat accounts for approximately 20% of the total food calories consumed worldwide. Approximately 35% of the world’s population regularly depends on wheat for their nourishment. In the US, the consumption of wheat per capita exceeds that of any other food staple. The United States exports an average of 26.0 million metric tons of all wheat classes annually and leads in hard red winter and soft red winter wheat exports [3]. While N is considered the most common nutrient limiting yield of wheat and other cereal crops [4], N use efficiency (NUE) is currently between 40 and 50% for most cereal crop production systems [5]. A notable increase from the late 1990s estimates for NUE being 33% [6] is largely due to continuous advances in fertilizer management strategies and novel fertilizer technologies
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