Keywords
wheat, nitrogen, sulfur, yield, protein
Abstract
Winter wheat is often double-cropped after soybeans in no-tillage systems. The soybean crop removes large quantities of sulfur (S), which might unbalance ratios of nitrogen (N) to S for the following wheat crop. Our objective was to evaluate the responses of two wheat varieties to three N and four S rates representing a range of N:S ratios. The experiment was arranged as a complete factorial with a split-split-plot design. Variety was the whole-plot, N the sub-plot, and S the sub-sub plot. Nitrogen rates were 50, 100, and 150% of the recommended rate for 60 bu/a, which corresponded to ~45, 87, and 130 lb N/a. Sulfur rates were 0, 10, 20, and 40 lb S. The two locations (Manhattan and Belleville) were conducted under no-till and data were pooled for the statistical analysis. Nitrogen by S interactions occurred for grain yield and protein. The 45 lb N/a with 0, 10, or 40 lb S yielded similarly, while 20 lb S reduced yield by 4 bu/a. The 87 lb N/a increased yield by 9 bu/a from the 45 lb N/a with all S rates yielding similarly. The 130 lb N/a increased yield by 18 bu/a from the 45 lb N/a with 10 lb S resulting in the lowest yield, with 0 and 20 lb S yielding the highest. Zero and 40 lb S resulted in similar yields across all N rates. The 45 and 130 lb N/a with 10 lb S produced protein of 10.9% and 11.9%, respectively. However, 130 lb N/a with 0 or 10 lb S increased protein to 12.6–12.8%. This research will be continued for two more years at three locations per year to better explore the interactive effects of N, S, and variety.
Recommended Citation
Jaenisch, B. R. and Lollato, R. P.
(2019)
"Wheat Grain Yield and Protein Response to Nitrogen and Sulfur Rates,"
Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports:
Vol. 5:
Iss.
4.
https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.7757
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