TITLE:
Effect of a Post-Anthesis Foliar Application of Nitrogen on Grain Protein and Milling and Baking Quality of Spring Wheat
AUTHORS:
Joel Ransom, Senay Simsek, Blaine Schatz, Eric Eriksmoen, Grant Mehring, Itai Mutukwa
KEYWORDS:
Bread Wheat, Loaf Volume, Yield, Protein Functionality, Nitrogen Fertilization
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.7 No.17,
December
27,
2016
ABSTRACT: Hard red spring wheat in North America must be high in protein in order to avoid
costly discounts when marketed. Many newer cultivars have higher yield potential
but produce relatively lower grain protein levels. A post-anthesis foliar application of
urea-ammonium nitrate mixed with equal part water at 33 kg·ha-1 nitrogen (N) can
increase grain protein levels by up to one percent. This increase can be profitable
when market premiums/discounts for protein are moderate to high. Nitrogen applied
post-anthesis consistently increased grain protein content more than the application
of the same rate of N to the soil prior to planting. Milling and baking analysis
reveals augmenting the protein in this way does not diminish its functionality.