Starter fertilizer to spring barley and spring wheat in south-east Norway: Effects on growth and nutrient uptake

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out on three representative soils, to evaluate the effect of various starter fertilizers, together with different rates of band placed phosphorus (P), on nutrient uptake and yield of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The starter fertilizers were placed in the immediate vicinity of the seed, while the band placed P was placed at about 5 cm below the seeds and spaced at 25 cm between alternate seed rows. As starter fertilizer, monoammonium phosphate (MAP), calcium nitrate (CAN), ammonium nitrate (AN) and triple superphosphate (P20) were compared. In both species, effects of starter fertilizer on P uptake were most marked early in the growing season. At GS 13 application of 20 kg P ha−1 as MAP increased the P uptake by 50% in barley and by 35% in wheat, compared to no seed-placed nutrients. For grain, the increase in P content was 8% for both species. The higher P uptake at GS 13 was supported by observations of higher plant vigour in the treatments with either P20 or MAP as starter fertilizer. The use of N only as starter fertilizer did not increase the vigour of the plants. Band placement of P also gave more vigorous plants in spring barley. The grain yield increased on the silty clay loam and on the silt soil when starter fertilizer was applied, especially with the use of MAP. Smaller and non-significant yield differences were found when starter fertilizer was used on the loam soil. No delay or reduction of emergence was observed with starter fertilizer. Therefore, on soils where root growth or nutrient uptake becomes limited during the first weeks after sowing, application of starter fertilizer is recommended in Norway for both spring barley and spring wheat. Crops grown on silty soils seem to have an especially high demand for easily available P given as starter fertilizer.