Nitrogen response of eight wheat varieties and two sowing times – Trangie 2015

2015

Research organisaton
Funding sources

Trial details

Researcher(s) Tracie Bird (Gardiner (NSW DPI))
Greg Brooke (NSW DPI)
Year(s) 2015
Contributor Department of Primary Industries NSW
Trial location(s) Trangie Agricultural Research Centre, NSW
Further information View external link
Related trials
Nitrogen response of eight wheat varieties and two sowing times – Trangie 2015 locations
Aims

To determine the effect of N application and sowing time on the yield and grain quality of eight popular bread wheat varieties at Trangie in central NSW in 2015.

Nitrogen (N) is the nutrient wheat most needs for growth, development and yield. In recent seasons in Central West NSW there has been a significant trend towards above average yields and very low grain protein levels with more than 30% of grain receivals meeting ASW or lower specifications. Protein levels of <10.5% in a prime hard variety usually indicate that insufficient N levels have not only limited grain protein concentrations, but also yield. Soil testing for N levels before sowing remains an important budgeting tool. It is the most useful indicator within that season if additional applied N is needed to maximise yield and grain protein levels, along with starting soil water and target yield. This trial aimed to determine the effect of N application and sowing time on the yield and grain quality of eight popular bread wheat varieties at Trangie in central NSW in 2015. 

Key messages

Key mesages:

  • There was a decline in yield with all rates of applied nitrogen (N), which was likely to be associated with high levels of residual soil N at the site.
  • Grain protein increased with all rates of applied N in all varieties, most likely due to decreased grain size.
  • Sowing time had the greatest influence on yield, with the earlier sowing time yielding close to 1 t/ha better than the later sowing time for each variety.

Conclusions:

This trial site had a high starting soil N level of 233 kg N/ha (0–120 cm) which probably contributed to declining yield with increasing rates of N application. However, protein levels still increased with increasing rates of N application, but this was most likely due to decreased grain size. Most varieties yielded almost 1 t/ha higher with TOS 1 compared with TOS 2. Sunmate and Suntop generally performed similarly at both sowing times. They were the highest yielding varieties at each sowing date, but also had lower protein achievement. Lancer and Spitfire also performed similarly at the two sowing dates and were generally lower yielding than Sunmate or Suntop at each sowing time, but obtained higher grain protein levels.

Lead research organisation Department of Primary Industries NSW
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC DAN00129
Trial funding source DPI NSW
Related program Variety Specific Agronomy Packages for southern, central and northern NSW
Acknowledgments

This research was funded by NSW DPI and GRDC under the project DAN00129: Variety specific agronomy packages for new varieties in NSW. Thanks to Gavin Melville for biometric analysis and Lizzie Smith, Paddy Steele, Sally Wright, Rachel Hayden and Jayne Jenkins for technical assistance.


Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Variety
  • Fertiliser: Rate
  • Sowing: Timing
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Trangie Agricultural Research Centre 2015

Sow date 1 May 2015 TOS 1: 1 May 2015; TOS 2: 13 May 2015
Harvest date 20 November 2015 TOS 1: 20 November 2015; TOS 2: 29 November 2015
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser

80 kg/ha Trifos at sowing 

Nitrogen (N):

0, 20, 40, 80, 160 kg N/ha at sowing, and 40+40 (40 kg N/ha applied at both sowing and GS31). Nitrogen was applied as urea pre-drilled immediately before sowing excepting the 40 + 40 treatment, which had 40 kg N/ha pre-drilled at sowing and 40 kg N/ha top-dressed at GS31 to take advantage of suitable topdressing rain.

Fungicide

Prothioconazole (210 g/L) + tebuconazole (210 g/L) at 300 mL/ha at GS32 and GS39 

Other trial notes

Treatments

Variety:

  • Dart
  • EGA Gregory
  • Kiora
  • Lancer
  • Spitfire
  • Sunmate
  • Suntop
  • Viking

Nitrogen (N):

0, 20, 40, 80, 160 kg N/ha at sowing, and 40+40 (40 kg N/ha applied at both sowing and GS31).

Nitrogen was applied as urea pre-drilled immediately before sowing excepting the 40 + 40 treatment, which had 40 kg N/ha pre-drilled at sowing and 40 kg N/ha top-dressed at GS31 to take advantage of suitable topdressing rain.

RESULTS:

Nitrogen treatments:

Protein levels significantly increased with increasing N application rates across all varieties. However, grain yield significantly declined with increasing rates of nitrogen application in all varieties. There was no significant difference in yield between nitrogen applied as a split treatment of 40 + 40 (sowing: GS31) or 80 kg N/ha at sowing. There was a linear relationship between nitrogen application rate and the level of screenings (%), which increased as the N rate increased. There was no difference in screening levels between the 40 + 40 split N treatment and 80 kg N/ha at sowing except for Dart, Kiora and Suntop, which had significantly higher screenings with the 80 kg N/ha at sowing application

Time of sowing

Sowing time had a significant effect on grain protein, yield and screening levels (screenings data not shown) achieved by all varieties at Trangie in 2015. A two-week delay in sowing from early May to mid-May reduced yield by 1.0 t/ha, increased protein by 1.4% and increased screenings by 5.8% when averaged across the eight wheat varieties. All varieties were significantly higher yielding for TOS 1 than TOS 2, but conversely there were higher grain protein levels with TOS 2 than TOS 1

 

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Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Site Depth Type pH EC P K N A OC CAT
Trangie Agricultural Research Centre, NSW 0 - 120cm 233.00
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Trangie Agricultural Research Centre, NSW Red loam
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Trangie Agricultural Research Centre, NSW Chromosol
Soil Moisture Source: BOM/ANU
Average amount of water stored in the soil profile during the year, estimated by the OzWALD model-data fusion system.
Year Trangie Agricultural Research Centre NSW
2015 66.2mm
2014 36.6mm
2013 59.4mm
2012 44.0mm
2011 63.9mm
2010 209.0mm
2009 211.4mm
2008 157.7mm
2007 162.2mm
2006 151.7mm
2005 236.6mm
2004 210.3mm
2003 224.7mm
2002 198.5mm
2001 265.5mm
2000 369.8mm
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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Climate

Trangie Agricultural Research Centre NSW 2015


Observed climate information

Rainfall avg ann (mm) 496.2mm
Rainfall avg gsr (mm) 174mm
Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 172mm

Derived climate information

Trangie Agricultural Research Centre NSW

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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.

Trial report and links

2015 trial report



Trial last modified: 23-07-2019 14:36pm AEST