Low grain protein content in durum can be prevented by applying nitrogen fertilizer after heading. Tentative guidelines were established from previous research for nitrogen fertilizer applications after heading based on the lower stem nitrate content near heading. Ten commercial durum fields were selected for testing the use of these guidelines to ensure grain protein contents greater than 13%. Only one field had grain protein content less than 13% (12.83%), and this field had herbicide damage and had to be over-irrigated due to surface unevenness. The average protein content was 13.62% but the amount of nitrogen fertilizer actually applied by the growers after heading averaged 74.5 lbs N/acre, whereas the amount recommended by the tentative guidelines averaged 53.1 lbs N/acre. If the tentative guidelines had been followed, we estimate that the average grain protein content would have been about 13.04%. Our tentative nitrogen fertilizer recommendations based on stem samples near heading appear accurate, but another year of testing would add more certainty.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/203660 |
| Date | 10 1900 |
| Creators | Ottman, Michael J., Husman, Stephen H., Clay, Pat A. |
| Contributors | Ottman, Michael J. |
| Publisher | College of Agriculture, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ) |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Article |
| Relation | AZ1442, Series P-154 |
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