Nitrogen response of eight wheat varieties – Nyngan 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) Nyngan, NSW
Further information View external link
Related trials
Nitrogen response of eight wheat varieties – Nyngan 2015 locations
Aims

To determine the effect of N rate on the yield and grain quality of eight popular bread wheat varieties at Gilgandra in central NSW in 2015. 

Key messages

Key findings:

  • This site was only moderately responsive to nitrogen (N) application. Yield and protein generally increased in all varieties with the 20 kg N/ha and 40 kg N/ha rates. However, yield decreased with higher application rates.
  • Protein and screening levels increased with N rates above 40 kg N/ha.
  • KioraA produced the highest screening levels. The sowing date of 5 May at Nyngan is probably a bit late for KioraA, which would have exacerbated screenings.
  • Varieties with comparatively lower biomass such as DartA, LancerA, SpitfireA and SunmateA maintained higher yield and lower screening levels even with the higher N application rates with a corresponding lower impact on harvest index also observed in these varieties.

Conclusions:

Conditions at sowing were very wet. There was no effective in-crop rainfall after August and combined with temperatures above 35⁰C in September resulted in a hard finish to the season.

This site had a high background starting N level (233 kg N/ha) which was surprising given the history of continuous cropping – 17 years of crop (Wheat 40%, canola 20%, barley 20%, pulse 20%) with additional N (above starter fertiliser application) only applied once in 1999. The lower rates of 20 and 40 kg N/ha gave modest yield increases in most varieties however rates higher than this tended to reduce yield and also caused screenings levels to increase in this trial. Protein levels increased with N application rates of 40 kgN/ha and above as seed size decreased.

Biomass and harvest index data (data not shown) showed that increasing N rate in heavier strawed varieties such as EGA_Gregory, Viking, Kiora produced more dry matter with comparatively less grain yield i.e. lower harvest index.

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 project DAN00129: Variety specific agronomy packages for new varieties in NSW. Thanks to Gavin Melville for biometric analysis and Ryan Potts, Lizzie Smith, Paddy Steele, Sally Wright and Rachel Hayden for technical assistance and Steven Simpfendorfer for editing.


Other trial partners Co-operator: Jack and Dione Carter
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

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

Nyngan 2015

Sow date 5 May 2015
Harvest date 29 October 2015
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Fertiliser

70 kg/ha Trifos at sowing 

Insecticide

300 g/ha pirimicarb (500 g/kg) (aphids) 

Fungicide

Prothioconazole (210 g/L) + tebuconazole (210 g/L) applied at 300 mL/ha on 21 August and 15 September 

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 GS 31 to take advantage of suitable topdressing rain.

 

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Effect of various nitrogen treatments on the yield, grain protein and screening levels of eight bread wheat varieties

# Variety
Treatment 1
Protein (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Screenings (%)
1 Dart 0 kgN/ha 10.3 3.21 9.5
2 Dart 20 kgN/ha 11.7 3.43 11.8
3 Dart 40 kgN/ha 13.2 3.08 18.7
4 Dart 40+40 kgN/ha 13.7 3.1 14.8
5 Dart 80 kgN/ha 14.4 2.93 18.7
6 Dart 160 kgN/ha 15.8 2.83 19.9
7 EGA Gregory 0 kgN/ha 10 3.69 0.7
8 EGA Gregory 20 kgN/ha 11.3 3.46 4.6
9 EGA Gregory 40 kgN/ha 12.4 3.23 11.2
10 EGA Gregory 40+40 kgN/ha 13.9 3.21 14.8
11 EGA Gregory 80 kgN/ha 14.8 2.68 22
12 EGA Gregory 160 kgN/ha 15.2 2.42 24.7
13 Kiora 0 kgN/ha 12.3 2.76 36.1
14 Kiora 20 kgN/ha 13 2.75 17.9
15 Kiora 40 kgN/ha 14.1 3.02 22.2
16 Kiora 40+40 kgN/ha 15.9 2.61 24.7
17 Kiora 80 kgN/ha 15.9 2.6 36.1
18 Kiora 160 kgN/ha 17.8 2.33 37.2
19 Lancer 0 kgN/ha 10.1 3.1 48.3
20 Lancer 20 kgN/ha 11.2 3.69 4.1
21 Lancer 40 kgN/ha 13 3.4 6.4
22 Lancer 40+40 kgN/ha 14.6 2.8 3.3
23 Lancer 80 kgN/ha 14.7 2.92 15.9
24 Lancer 160 kgN/ha 16.2 2.67 14.7
25 Spitfire 0 kgN/ha 11.6 3.55 16.6
26 Spitfire 20 kgN/ha 12.1 3.32 7.1
27 Spitfire 40 kgN/ha 13.1 3.11 5.8
28 Spitfire 40+40 kgN/ha 13.5 3.59 10.2
29 Spitfire 80 kgN/ha 14 3.4 10.4
30 Spitfire 160 kgN/ha 15.3 2.89 11.2
31 Sunmate 0 kgN/ha 10.7 3.49 18
32 Sunmate 20 kgN/ha 11.2 3.7 7.7
33 Sunmate 40 kgN/ha 11.6 3.3 4.8
34 Sunmate 40+40 kgN/ha 13.2 3.09 7.7
35 Sunmate 80 kgN/ha 14 2.93 9.4
36 Sunmate 160 kgN/ha 15.3 2.67 14.2
37 Suntop 0 kgN/ha 10.7 3.28 16.4
38 Suntop 20 kgN/ha 10.8 3.54 8.7
39 Suntop 40 kgN/ha 12.1 3.33 8.4
40 Suntop 40+40 kgN/ha 12.8 3.47 15.3
41 Suntop 80 kgN/ha 12.7 3.07 17.7
42 Suntop 160 kgN/ha 15.3 2.68 18.4
43 Viking 0 kgN/ha 10.9 3.52 32.6
44 Viking 20 kgN/ha 11.2 3.37 10.3
45 Viking 40 kgN/ha 12.3 3.22 17.6
46 Viking 40+40 kgN/ha 14.3 2.65 28.9
47 Viking 80 kgN/ha 14.1 2.78 28.9
48 Viking 160 kgN/ha 17 2.29 42.5

Grain yield t/ha


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Protein %


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Screenings %


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Site Depth Type pH EC P K N A OC CAT
Nyngan, NSW 0 - 120cm 230.00
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Nyngan, NSW Red loam
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Nyngan, NSW Vertosol
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 Nyngan NSW
2015 460.8mm
2014 473.9mm
2013 489.4mm
2012 549.7mm
2011 541.4mm
2010 567.7mm
2009 518.9mm
2008 489.0mm
2007 403.0mm
2006 402.1mm
2005 430.8mm
2004 408.5mm
2003 411.4mm
2002 431.5mm
2001 489.6mm
2000 508.6mm
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

Nyngan NSW 2015


Observed climate information

Rainfall avg ann (mm) 440.9mm
Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 166mm

Derived climate information

Nyngan NSW

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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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: 30-07-2019 08:28am AEST