Start Date: 2010
Principal Investigator: Albert Sims
Organization: University of Minnesota, Southern, Southwest, and Northwest Research and Outreach Centers
Status: Complete
Background Info
Hard red spring wheat was grown on approximately 1.75 million acres in Minnesota and contributed $700 million to the state’s economy in 2008. Hard red spring wheat varieties being grown in Minnesota vary in their grain yield and grain protein concentrations. These variations are caused by translocation of similar amounts of N (protein) in the grain being diluted by variations in biomass (yield) in the grain, differing amounts of N translocated to the grain with similar biomass, or a combinations of both. These characteristics suggest varieties differ in their utilization of N for grain yield and grain protein production.
Objectives
Evaluate differences in N uptake efficiency during the growing season of the four varieties
Evaluate vegetative N remobilization characteristics of these varieties during reproductive growth and relate those characteristics to N uptake efficiency
Relate the N uptake and N remobilization efficiencies of these v varieties to N utilization to produce grain yield and grain protein
Key Findings
High protein varieties tend to produce more or their total biomass after anthesis than high yield varieties.
High yield varieties respond to high nitrogen availability by producing more of their biomass by anthesis and diverting these resources to producing grain yield, which reduces grain protein concentration by diluting the grain N with biomass.
High protein varieties respond to high nitrogen availability by diverting more N to the grain to increase protein and will produce biomass for grain yield in accordance with the length of the post anthesis growing period.