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Nitrogen fertilizers for spring barley and wheat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

F. V. Widdowson
Affiliation:
Chemistry Department, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts
G. W. Cooke
Affiliation:
Chemistry Department, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts

Extract

1. Ten experiments on spring barley (mainly Proctor) and four on spring wheat (mainly Atle) in 1954–6 compared 0·25 and 0·5 cwt. N/acre (as ammonium sulphate) when drilled with the seed, with dressings broadcast before sowing. Tests were also made of ‘Nitro-Chalk’ dressings given in mid-May. In heavier split applications seedbed dressings were supplemented by top-dressings of 0·5 cwt. N/acre.

2. Barley gave much larger average responses than wheat. For barley combine-drilling 0·25 or 0·5 cwt. N/acre gave consistently larger yields than broadcasting the same nitrogen dressing on the seedbed; for wheat combine-drilling gave slightly higher yields at the high rate of dressing only.

3. For both crops 0·5 cwt./acre of N drilled with the seed was almost sufficient for maximum yields, but where only 0·25 cwt. N was applied at sowing a mid-May top-dressing of 0·5 cwt. N/acre gave higher yields.

4. At most centres May top-dressings of ‘Nitro-Chalk’ gave lower yields than equivalent ammonium sulphate drilled with the seed. Yields were often reduced by lodging on plots which received seedbed dressings plus top-dressing or the heavier rates of top-dressing alone; these treatments also reduced the quality of the grain. Combine-drilled or broadcast seedbed dressings did not cause serious lodging or reduce grain quality.

5. 0·25 or 0·5 cwt. N/acre broadcast on the seedbed or combine-drilled had little effect on the percentage of nitrogen in the grain; equivalent topdressings in mid-May consistently increased nitrogen content. Seedbed dressings plus top-dressings supplying heavier total quantities of nitrogen continued to increase nitrogen percentage in grain without giving any increase in yield.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1958

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References

REFERENCES

Cooke, G. W., Widdowson, F. V. & Wilcox, J. C. (1957). J. Agric. Sci. 49, 81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crowther, E. M. (1945). Agriculture, Lond., 52, 170.Google Scholar