HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (16) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fowler, D. B. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Fowler, D. B. Agricola Articles by Fowler, D. B. Related Collections Other Crop Management Best Management Practices Wheat

WHEAT

Crop Nitrogen Demand and Grain Protein Concentration of Spring and Winter Wheat

Crop Dev. Cent., Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A8, Canada

^* Corresponding author (Brian.Fowler{at}usask.ca)

Received for publication April 15, 2002. Available soil N and a cultivar's genetic potential are primary factors determining grain protein concentration (GPC). This study focused on important genotypic and environmental factors that determine GPC and yield potential in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and investigated the use of GPC as a practical indicator of crop N deficiencies for a wide range of cultivars grown in 16 N fertilizer trials in western Canada. Large GPC responses to added N were accompanied by large increases in grain yield, and similar GPC–grain yield relationships were found at maximum grain yield and 90 and 80% of maximum grain yield. Both genotype and environment influenced the upper limit of yield when N was not limiting. The relationship between GPC and grain yield depended on the part of the N fertilizer response curve sampled, and there was a strong negative correlation between cultivar GPC and maximum potential grain yield. The latter observation indicates that the production of high-yielding cultivars with high GPC is more complicated than simply stacking yield genes in a high-GPC genetic background or vice versa. Large differences amongst cultivars also suggested that the critical GPC–grain yield responses must be known for each cultivar before GPC can be used as a practical postharvest indicator of N sufficiency. Growing season weather had a large influence on GPC–grain yield relationships, and GPC at the point of maximum grain yield increased as the potential grain yield of a cultivar was reduced by environmental limitations. These observations indicate that GPC may be a useful postharvest indicator of N deficiencies for crops that are under N stress, but caution must be used when employing GPC to develop management systems that optimize N fertilizer use.

Abbreviations: CPSR, Canadian prairie spring red • CPSW, Canadian prairie spring white • GPC, grain protein concentration • HRS, hard red spring • HRW, hard red winter • ESS, extra-strong spring • SWS, soft white spring • SWW, soft white winter

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. M. Carr, Glenn. B. Martin, and R. D. Horsley Wheat Grain Quality Response to Tillage and Rotation with Field Pea Agron. J., October 21, 2008; 100(6): 1594 - 1599. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. N. Otteson, M. Mergoum, and J. K. Ransom Seeding Rate and Nitrogen Management on Milling and Baking Quality of Hard Red Spring Wheat Genotypes Crop Sci., March 19, 2008; 48(2): 749 - 755. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. N. Otteson, M. Mergoum, and J. K. Ransom Seeding Rate and Nitrogen Management Effects on Spring Wheat Yield and Yield Components Agron. J., November 6, 2007; 99(6): 1615 - 1621. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]