To examine appropriate management combinations of variety, nitrogen rate and timing, to achieve 13% protein and to minimise downgrading due to excessive screenings.

• Varieties responded similarly in yield and many quality measurements to applied nitrogen, but showed large differences in grain screenings.
• Large amounts of early applied nitrogen predisposed WID803 with inherent small grain to quality downgrading due to high screenings, varieties with inherent larger grain (Tjilkuri and Caparoi) were not downgraded across N treatments.
• The strategic approach to nitrogen management was a more effective method to maintain grain size and achieve 13% protein rather than applying all nitroen at stem elongation.