1. Nitrogen Management for Enhanced Protein: Source and Timing of N Applications in Spring Wheat C.A. Grant 1, C.D. Rawluk 1, R.M. McKenzie 2, D.N. Flaten 3 and A.M. Johnston 4 1 AAFC Brandon Research Centre, 2 Alberta Agriculture, 3 University of Manitoba, 4 Potash and Phosphate Institute

2. weather Soil Characteristics Factors Affecting Protein Content of Wheat N Movement to grain N uptake Grain yield Crop Genetics Seeding Date Agronomy N supply and release

3. Effect of N on grain yield and protein concentration

4. Balance Crop Demand with Nitrogen Supply Crop Demand Nitrogen Supply In-crop N where crop demand exceeds soil supply

5. In-Crop N Management For Protein Is the extra N needed? Source? –Urea, UAN, ammonium nitrate Timing? –Seeding, tillering, boot, anthesis Placement? –Foliar, soil-applied

6. Methodology Field studies from 1997-2000 at several sites in Black Soil Zone of Canadian prairies Hard red spring wheat 75 kg N ha -1 applied at seeding compared to 60 kg N ha -1 applied at seeding plus 15 kg N ha -1 as in- crop application

7. Nitrogen source and timing effects on wheat protein content

8. Change in protein content by 15 kg N per ha as AN at boot as compared to at seeding

9. Predicting the need for in-crop N Good growing conditions –yield potential exceeds the target yield Visual N deficiency symptoms Tissue N levels Use of SPAD meter –Chlorophyll meter –Assesses “greeness”

11. Protein Content and Leaf N Content as Related to Spad Meter Readings Melfort, 1999

12. Nitrogen source and timing effects on increase in wheat protein content above N at seeding

14. Early Seeding Date

15. Nitrogen source and timing effects on increase in wheat protein content above N at seeding Late Seeding Date

16. Uptake of Soil- and Foliar-Applied Urea by Wheat in two Growth Chamber Studies 50 ppm base N

17. Foliar Application of N Under dry conditions, late N applications to soil may be unavailable Foliar applications may allow N uptake by plant –greater advantage in drier areas?

18. Summary Benefit of in-crop N was variable –often only minor benefit over application of N at seeding –consider cost of extra operation Ammonium nitrate >urea >UAN in increasing protein content –volatilization losses from urea –little actual foliar uptake UAN may be beneficial with late application under dry conditions

19. The End Thank you to Western Grains Research Foundation, ARDI, Westco, Envirotest Laboratories, Simplot and MII for their support of this research