Wheat Yield and Quality as Influenced by Coated Nitrogen (ESN Timings, Rates and Mixtures with Urea)
Study author(s): Nancy Jo Ehlke, University of Minnesota, Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics
Years of study: 2012
Location(s): [if any, i.e. Sand Plain Research Farm, Becker, MN and Rosholt etc…]
Important: for the complete report, including all tables and figures, please download using the link(s) to the right.
summary
Nitrogen (N) is the most expensive plant nutrient for farmers. In fact, 2012 crop budgets for spring wheat and perennial ryegrass indicated N alone was approximately 35 percent of the direct costs (Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Farm Business Management). Further, environmental issues, coupled with economics of today’s agricultural crop production, require a greater understanding of the use of N to minimize environmental impacts while maximizing crop production for Minnesota farmers. Research objectives are to compare the standard urea with a coated urea applied at various timings, rates and mixtures in a spring wheat under seeded to perennial ryegrass. Coated urea may allow increased rates of nitrogen to be applied “down the tube” at planting, when combined with phosphorus and potassium without injury to the wheat and ryegrass seedlings. This coated urea product may offer the potential to improve wheat yield and quality (protein), especially if the product is not released into the soil solution until later in the plant developmental stages of the spring wheat.