Funded by Alberta Grains
Background and Objective
Yield production of spring Wheat can be improved by intensified agricultural strategies and novel genetic varieties but questions still persist on optimal soil N release and precise N uptake by crops. At the Agriculture and Agri-food Canada in Lethbridge, Dr. Brain Beres has a research program evaluating different forms of fertilizers, designed to provide N availability to Wheat crops better than N provided through banded Urea. This experiment focuses on exploring N-enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEF) set at different developmental stages. The goal is to investigate the agronomic benefits of using EEFs on Wheat.
Methods
The project was conducted in 2023 at the research farms of 4 Applied Agricultural Research Associations (ARAs) in the Peace County Region of NW Alberta. This was at Fairview, AB for the Peace Country Beef and Forage Association (PCBFA); Fort Vermilion, AB for the Mackenzie Applied Research Association (MARA); North Star, AB for the North Peace Applied Research Association (NPARA) and Ballater, AB for SARDA Ag Research. Figure 1 shows the growing season conditions at Fairview Research Farm of PCBFA. Trials were set up as a randomized complete block design using four replications in small plots measuring at least 8 m x 1.14 m. Seeding was carried out using a 6-row Fabro Plot Drill equipped with disc-type openers on 23 cm row spacing complete with side banding. Seeding, fertilizer, maintenance and harvest information can be referenced in Table 1. Enhanced efficiency fertilizers used for this experiment were Urea, environmentally smart nitrogen (ESN) and SuperU. Fertilizer rates were set at 100% and 70% of the recommended rate and also adjusted to meet 1x and 1.5x of the grain target yield. Details of cultural practices are provided in Table 1 below.
Data was computed as an analysis of variance with 3 fixed effects and 3 random effects. The fixed effects were : i) type of EEF - (Urea, ESN and Super U), ii) target yield and iii) percentage of fertilizer rate recommended and three random effects were research location site, replicates and its interaction. Parameters for analysis included emergence, stand count, plant height, lodging, yield, test weight, protein content and thousand kernel weight (TKW). To procure normality and independence among data research points taken, test weight was transformed to the square power.
Results
Out of all the parameters tested, only stand counts were impacted by target yield and percentage of fertilizer rate recommended. In contrast, emergence, height, lodging, yield, test weight, protein content and TKW were not impacted by any of the effect treatments. Thus, any EEF, at any rate and regardless of how much yield is desired beyond the target yield, has the same effect and will produce the same grain yield and the same protein content. Wheat stand counts were more numerous if subjected to SuperU at 70% of the recommended rate to achieve 1x of the target grain yield, compared to Urea at either percentage of recommended rate for 1x target yield, as well as ESN at 70% of the recommended rate to obtain 1x of target yield and SuperU at 70% of the recommended rate to achieve 1.5x of the target yield.
Conclusion
Several forms of N-release products tested on Wheat showed no difference in any of the parameters monitored except in stand number. As such, SuperU at a lower percentage rate for a yield target of 1x, increased stand number compared to the full recommended rate under the same yield target. Results from this trial show that no matter what kind of EEF is used, all will have likewise effects on yield and protein content in wheat.
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