1. Wheat Challenge – Update from Aberdeen – April 2015
Alex Hilton

2. Introduction
Plots are looking good it has to be said. The plots are benefitting from their early application of Nitrogen.
Many of the plots have reached GS 31 with stem elongation starting. This is variety dependent. GS 25 – 30 will be going on next week
Those teams who forgot to put any on will pay the price later on and your plots are suffering with pale leaves.
What is needed now is some moisture to wash the N in. This did arrive this weekend in the form of snow!
Some plots are actually looking too thick so please consider your Plant Growth Regulator options
Some of you have chosen to put on your N as Ammonium Sulphate rather than Ammonium Nitrate. The benefits of this will not be apparent now

3. Introduction
Septoria has been observed on the older leaves in some plots
Depending on the weather your fungicide recommendation will come into play
Although we can not see any difference in your control measures yet if we get some wet weather we will do

4. Team A
Solstice 390 seeds m2 T0 – 40 kgN/ha as Ammonium sulphate

5. Team B
Alchemy 390 seeds m2 T0 – 43.5 kgN/ha as Ammonium sulphate This plot does look a bit patchy in places but it will thicken out with the GS application.

6. Team C
Viscount 375 seeds m2 T0 – 60 kgN/ha as Ammonium sulphate

7. Team D
Viscount 385 seeds m2 T0 – 40 kgN/ha as Ammonium sulphate You have a sensible N regime here total 200 kg/ha

8. Team E
Kielder 412 seeds m2 T0 – 40 kgN/ha as Ammonium nitrate This is a newish variety. It seems to have established well at this site. Be careful it does not get too thick.

9. Team F
Kielder 270 seeds m2 T0 – 69 kgN/ha as Ammonium Nitrate Lower seed rate than previous team, but this plot looks a lot thicker, perhaps due to the extra N. No GS N application

10. Team G
Solstice 270 seeds m2 T0 – 48 kgN/ha as Ammonium Nitrate Interesting that you have decided not to put any N on at GS but are going for 193 kg/ha at GS

11. Team H
Viscount 185 kg/ha – seed rate T0 – No N now but 120 kgN/ha at GS Plots are needing some N

12. Team I
Cordialle 400 seeds m2 T0 – 40 kgN/ha as Ammonium nitrate Only crop of Cordialle and it is looking good

13. Team J
Viscount 200 kg/ha – seed rate T0 – 50 kgN/ha as Ammonium sulphate Like the look of this one. The crop has benefited well from the early N

14. Team K
Alchemy 240 kg/ha – Seed rate T0 – No N now but 50kg/N/ha at GS Despite the lack of early N this crop is thickening out. At the moment you have only decided on a total of 50 kg/N. Is this a minimalist approach?

15. Team L
Alchemy 210 kg/ha – Seed rate No N!!! Guess what it looks pale

16. Team M
Viscount 220 kg/ha – Seed rate 50 kgN/ha as Ammonium Nitrate I like the look of this plot. You have gone for a total of 270 kg/N. This is the highest amount in the competition. I hope your growth reg work well. This is definitely a boom or bust approach

17. Team N
Viscount 200 kg/ha – Seed rate 60 kg/N/ha as Ammonium sulphate Plot is looking good. A good N programme with a little and often over the 4 timings.

18. Team O
Viscount 200 kg/ha – Seed rate T0 – 20 kgN/ha, plus 60 kg/ha of P and K Could probably do with more N at T0. At the moment you have not mentioned any further applications.

19. Team P
Kielder 228 kg/ha – Seed rate T0 – 96 kgN/ha as Ammonium sulphate This crop of Kielder is looking a bit too thick. I think you have over done the N at T0. However, with no further N till GS it might be OK

20. Team Q
Viscount 210 kg/ha – Seed rate T0 – No N!!!!!

21. Team R
Kielder 194 kg/ha – Seed rate T0 – 25 kgN/ha as Ammonium sulphate This crop is looking good. You have gone for a moderate N regime for the rest of the season with a total of 165 kg/N/ha. Lets see how this pans out

22. Team S
Viscount 200 kg/ha – Seed rate 20 kgN/ha as Ammonium sulphate

23. Team T
Viscount 190 kg/ha – Seed rate 60 kgN/ha as Ammonium sulphate I like this crop. A total of 240 kg/N/ha over the season. Hope the growth regs are good!

24. What next
You have now decided on your nutrient and fungicide treatments. Some of you have not added any N. There is still time to put some on but you are playing catch up
On 13th May Scott Campbell (host farmer) and his agronomist Charlie Catto from Frontier will be passing judgment on your plots. This will give you some good feed-back
Watch this space for up dates
For more details: /winter_wheat_challe nge