Strategies for Managing N for Improved Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Spring Wheat. Joel Ransom NDSU Extension Agronomist

Transcription

1 Strategies for Managing N for Improved Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Spring Wheat Joel Ransom NDSU Extension Agronomist

2 Background Nitrogen is needed by the wheat plant for growth, yield and protein Fertilizer is the most expensive direct cost in spring wheat production $68 of $190 in 2018 (NDSU for northern valley) There is generally a negative relationship between yield and protein Environment has a huge effect on N fertilizer requirements but difficult to predict the environment

3 Relationship between yield and protein for varieties in state yield trials, Langdon and Williston, Langdon Williston Protein (%) y = 0.071x R² = y = x R² = Yield (bu/acre) Yield (bu/acre)

4 20 Relationship between yield (bu/acre) and protein (%) from spring wheat variety trials conducted in ND in Protein (%) y = x R² = Yield (bu/acre)

5 Slide prepared by D. Franzen

6 Slide prepared by D. Franzen

7 Recommendations optimizing yield and protein Variety selection Apply adequate N prior to or at planting Respond to in season N needs Apply post anthesis foliar N when determined to be profitable

8 1. Variety Selection for yield and protein Profitability depends on both yield and protein Predicting protein premiums not easy If everyone has protein, then less premium If winter wheat quality is low, difference between spring and winter wheat increases, but does not always guarantee a premium for protein Yield and protein characteristics are inherent to a variety and are difficult to balance Over environments, a variety with above average yield and above average protein will provide the most consistent returns

9 Relative performance of varieties in MN (averaged over locations) using $5.70/bu price. Highest Yielding Gross return P=.2 Gross return P=.5 Gross return P=1.0 Highest protein SY Valda SY Valda SY Valda Linkert Bolles HRS 3419 HRS 3504 Linkert Bolles TCG Climax HRS 3504 HRS 3530 WB9479 TCG Climax Linkert Prosper HRS 3419 HRS 3530 WB9479 Rollag Shelly Shelly TCG Climax HRS 3616 HRS 3616 LCS Prime TCG Spitfire Bolles Rollag ND VitPro WB9653 WB9653 WB9590 WB Mayville Dyna Gro Caliber TCG Spitfire WB9590 WB Mayville WB9590 WB9479 Faller Prosper Surpass Lang MN LCS Anchor LCS Albany LCS Prime Dyna Gro Ambush Boost Boost

10 2 Apply adequate N how to determine an optimum N rate Use North Dakota Wheat Nitrogen Calculator Uses prices of wheat and N fertilizer Requires fall soil test Yield goal = 2.5 lbs N per expected bu yield minus credit and soil test Past experience Adjust for variety grown (higher yielding varieties often require extra N to reach 14% protein)

11 Effect of N rate on protein content of four spring wheat varieties, Crookston, MN (adapted from Farmaha, Sims and Wiersma, 2016) Protein (%) Faller Glenn Samson Vantage N rate (lbs/acre)

12 What about in season N? Option to catch up when losses during start of the season were substantial Best timing for yield is before 6 lf stage Boot stage applications may enhance protein Require sufficient moisture to get the N to where the roots are Can slow release types supply N when needed while resisting losses?

13 90 Effect of time of application on 30 Ibs N on yield of spring wheat, two locations in MN, 2017 Yield (bu/acre) No N Base rate At planting 5 lf Boot Flowering Timing

14 Effect of N timing on protein of spring wheat, average of two locations, Protein % No N Base rate At planting 5 lf Boot Flowering Timing of extra N application

15 100 Effect of N source and timing of a 75% N rate (90lb per acre) on yield, Ada, Yield (bu/acre) Check Urea Spring ESN Spring 50:50 Spring Urea October ESN October 50:50 October Urea Nov ESN Nov 50:50 Nov 150% Urea

16 14.5 Effect of N source and timing of a 75% rate of N (90lb per acre) on protein, Ada, Protien (%) Check Urea Spring ESN Spring 50:50 Spring Urea October ESN October 50:50 Urea Nov ESN Nov 50:50 October Nov 150% Urea

17 3 What about post anthesis UAN, does it have a role? Often increases protein by 0.5 to 1.0% Most efficient way to increase protein using 30 lb N? No impact on yield (negative or positive) Best timing about 5 days post anthesis Can we predict a need? Premiums high Yields high Crop running out of nitrogen

18 Impact of fertilizer nitrogen rate and timing on protein content, two locations in Minnesota, Ada Argyle Combined 16 Protein content (%) lf PA

19 Protein premiums and discounts can be substantial and hard to predict Daily Protein Spreads for Hard Red Spring Wheat - Minneapolis, MN June 1, Jan. 28, 2016 Data from USDA-AMS Graph prepared by Frayne Olson - NDSU Premium or Discount / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / % Discount (13% - 14%) 15% Premium (15% - 14%) Date

20 When does it pay (assuming a 1% protein bump and $30 treatment cost)? Protein Premium ($/point) $30 application cost $20 application cost Bushel per acre yield ($17.50) ($12.50) ($7.50) ($7.50) ($2.50) $ ($5.00) $5.00 $15.00 $5.00 $15.00 $ $7.50 $22.50 $37.50 $17.50 $32.50 $ $20.00 $40.00 $60.00 $30.00 $50.00 $70.00

21 Can we predict protein with remote sensing tools? NDVI Sensing In 2016 and 2017 NDVI was measured for each plot with a hand held optical sensor for each treatment at three growth stages: 4 5 Leaf (ZGS 15) Flag Leaf (ZGS 45) Boot (ZGS 67) Matthew Rellaford and Joel Ransom

22 Predictiveness of NDVI 15 Boot NDVI Normalized by Rep vs GPC Red Lake Falls, MN Grain Protein Content (%) y = x R² = Boot Stage NDVI Normalized by Rep Matthew Rellaford and Joel Ransom

23 Predictiveness of NDVI 16 NDVI Normalized by Rep vs GPC Casselton, ND 2017 Grain Protein Content % y = x R² = Boot Stage NDVI Normalized by Rep Matthew Rellaford and Joel Ransom

24 Results & Discussion NDVI The variability in the predictive ability of NDVI may be due to environmental differences Precipitation Soil Range of Total Protein (GPC x Yield) NDVI Predictiveness of GPC Trial Trial Total May n itation ha 1 ) May Total itation n North Dakota ha 1 ) 8.2 cm 393 R 2 = Protei Range Precip (kg cm #* #* #* R 2 =0.09 #* #* #* 3.4 cm #* 2.6 cm cm R 2 =0.59** cm Precip Protei Range 1 (kg R 2 =0.43** R 2 =0.41** R 2 =0.06 R 2 =0.18** Minnesota Esri, HERE, DeLorme, MapmyIndia, OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community, Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community Matthew Rellaford and Joel Ransom

25 Proposed Research The post anthesis application is one tool that allows a grower to respond to developments during the season. Knowing when to use it can significantly impact profitability. N-rich Strip Can we finally put this past research on predicting protein into a framework that will work at a farm level? The research will look at N rich strips and NDVI from drones as key components Matthew Rellaford and Joel Ransom

26 What are the costs of N strategies UAN $215/ton = $0.38/lb N Urea $345/ton = $0.375/lb N ESN $485/ton = $0.55/lb N Instinct ~$10/acre??

27 Questions?