The effect on yield and leaf area of wheat of applying nitrogen as a top-dressing in April or in sprays at ear emergence

Abstract

Nitrogen, at the rate of 0.5 cwt./acre, was applied to winter wheat as an April dressing of nitrochalk, or as eight sprayings of 2% NH4NO3 solution applied either to the soil or to the leaves at about the period of maximum leaf area, before and during ear emergence. All three methods of nitrogen application caused similar increases in yield and nitrogen content of grain. April nitrogen gave a greater yield of straw than the later dressings.Late nitrogen application caused a small increase in leaf area index, first noticeable one week after ear emergence and persisting for another four weeks. L.A.I. of plots that received nitrogen in April was much larger than that of the other plots at the period of maximum leaf area, but by four weeks after ear emergence it was less than that of plots receiving the late nitrogen. Shoot number per metre and leaf area per shoot were increased by early nitrogen, but only the latter was increased by nitrogen applied at ear emergence.Leaf area duration after ear emergence was the same on all nitrogen-treated plots and the yield of grain divided by L.A.D. was nearly constant for all plots.Applying nitrogen late, after an April dressing, did not prevent the rapid fall in L.A.I. from the high value reached at the period of maximum leaf area and caused no greater increase in yield than when applied in the absence of an April top-dressing. A single urea spray applied in early June increased yield to the same extent as the ammonium nitrate sprays.