Fertiliser rates

[Steevo]

I have some Skyfall winter wheat planted mid Oct that's had about 180kgN, some planted mid Nov that's had the same.

I was planning on going through with another dose as a top up, plus the protein spray end of June.

My agronomist suggested leaving it at that based on the idea that the plants are shorter than usual and lower biomass so don't need quite the same amount of feeding so what it's already had should be plenty.

Are others cutting their rates back more than usual due to the season?

 

[jon9000]

Planning on starting next week with final dressing for feed. A further 40kg taking it to 220. In the big scheme of things n is cheap so saving a few kg seams hardly worth it. However yield expectations are very low here

 

[MrNoo]

Am like you, planning on going again pre the next rain event, put about 120Kg/N on but thankfully had a bit of rain, so it will just get another 60Kg/N maybe more depending how I feel!

 

[yellow belly]

There was less in the soil after the winter than any other year in the past
I have given every thing a bit extra and earlier had some rain and plenty of sun

 

[AndrewM]

Wheat grower hits protein target using root test - Farmers Weekly

A new root-based protein prediction test aims to give milling wheat growers the information they need to apply exactly the right amount of nitrogen

www.fwi.co.uk

probably rubbish as its in the yellow peril, claims Hill Court Farm Research have developed an analysis to tissue sample wheat roots in may as a predictor of final grain protein to help optimism final applications. might be handy if it works

 

[Steevo]

Wheat grower hits protein target using root test - Farmers Weekly

A new root-based protein prediction test aims to give milling wheat growers the information they need to apply exactly the right amount of nitrogen

www.fwi.co.uk

probably rubbish as its in the yellow peril, claims Hill Court Farm Research have developed an analysis to tissue sample wheat roots in may as a predictor of final grain protein to help optimism final applications. might be handy if it works

Thank you for that!

Hill Court are only down the road and I’ve used them for soil samples before. This might be an interesting year to give the new service a test and see what it says, especially given the variation between the wheat crops this year. I guess I’ll have to save grain from the fields I test as well to compare final results against their recommendations etc.

 

[Badshot]

I have some Skyfall winter wheat planted mid Oct that's had about 180kgN, some planted mid Nov that's had the same.

I was planning on going through with another dose as a top up, plus the protein spray end of June.

My agronomist suggested leaving it at that based on the idea that the plants are shorter than usual and lower biomass so don't need quite the same amount of feeding so what it's already had should be plenty.

Are others cutting their rates back more than usual due to the season?

What's your yield expectations?
Do you normally get full spec from such low rates as that.?
I'd expect to be very compromised on yield and protein here at that level.

 

[yellow belly]

if the soil has had plenty of nutrients muck sludge compost fert added in rescent years then there can be plenty for this years crops

when we used manure in the 1980s we could get 10 tonne of 13% milling spec wheat every year with 180 kg n out of a bag

 

[D14]

I have some Skyfall winter wheat planted mid Oct that's had about 180kgN, some planted mid Nov that's had the same.

I was planning on going through with another dose as a top up, plus the protein spray end of June.

My agronomist suggested leaving it at that based on the idea that the plants are shorter than usual and lower biomass so don't need quite the same amount of feeding so what it's already had should be plenty.

Are others cutting their rates back more than usual due to the season?

November planted has had 80kg 25/03/20, 80kg 29/04/20 and will get another 80kg next week sometime but its about a month behind normal growth stage for this time of the year.

 

[Warnesworth]

There was less in the soil after the winter than any other year in the past
I have given every thing a bit extra and earlier had some rain and plenty of sun

That is received wisdom and I believed it to until I saw the difference between a 2nd wheat and a wheat after beans side by side, same soil, same fertiliser N applied. There was definitely more N after beans even after the winter rain.

 

[teslacoils]

if the soil has had plenty of nutrients muck sludge compost fert added in rescent years then there can be plenty for this years crops

when we used manure in the 1980s we could get 10 tonne of 13% milling spec wheat every year with 180 kg n out of a bag

Manure in the 80s I imagine to be put on at slightly better rates that current rb209 limits.

 

[David.]

The blacker the field the better, bet ours used to get 30t/ac minimum before spuds.

 

[Steevo]

What's your yield expectations?
Do you normally get full spec from such low rates as that.?
I'd expect to be very compromised on yield and protein here at that level.

No, I'd normally be using 230-250kgN and often a protein spray on top of that too to be on the right side of the proteins.

The question becomes how compromised yield is likely to be this year anyway.....and of that N I'd normally apply, how much is normally used to grow a 1m high wheat plant, whereas this year plants will be quite a bit shorter so in theory less food needed as less leaf/stem to keep sustained, and because it's growing through the growth stages quicker, the plants are smaller longer. A normal wheat plant in May might be burning through X calories per day, this year it could be lower.

I'm planning to do some of those tests mentioned above next week to help influence my decision.

 

[yellow belly]

That is received wisdom and I believed it to until I saw the difference between a 2nd wheat and a wheat after beans side by side, same soil, same fertiliser N applied. There was definitely more N after beans even after the winter rain.

I would put half the n on early for second wheat
in the 80s January was not early 65 kg on second wheats first
after grass and a layer of muck ( no need for roundup ) no till the end of April
now with no muck for 20 years 120 on in early march unless it is a very forward lush crop
those who drill in November need a little and often but an early planted crop can grab early n this beats a dry spring

 

[Warnesworth]

No, I'd normally be using 230-250kgN and often a protein spray on top of that too to be on the right side of the proteins.

The question becomes how compromised yield is likely to be this year anyway.....and of that N I'd normally apply, how much is normally used to grow a 1m high wheat plant, whereas this year plants will be quite a bit shorter so in theory less food needed as less leaf/stem to keep sustained, and because it's growing through the growth stages quicker, the plants are smaller longer. A normal wheat plant in May might be burning through X calories per day, this year it could be lower.

I'm planning to do some of those tests mentioned above next week to help influence my decision.

What’s your five year average wheat yield Andrew?

 

[Brisel]

The only N reductions on wheat here were in the thin patches. Normally 250 kg/ha N split 50/100/100 on shallow calcareous soils. Post harvest grain proteins are 10.5-11.5% which suggests that for the Group 2s and 4s I grow for feed with the possibility of a small milling premium is about right. Lower proteins normally mean dilution by extra yield which I'm happy enough with.

The longer term aim is to get the same yields and proteins with less applied N.

 

[jack6480]

You lads are putting some serious n on, is your ground that hungry

 

[Brisel]

Yep. A neighbour on clay puts well over 300 kg N on his milling wheats, gets great yields (13 t/ha+) and still struggles with proteins.

 

[YELROM]

Slightly off topic but we switched to urea a year couple of years ago and think we are to late with timings, we apply approx
20% early March
40% early April
40%early May

What do others do?

 

[e3120]

Slightly off topic but we switched to urea a year couple of years ago and think we are to late with timings, we apply approx
20% early March
40% early April
40%early May

What do others do?

I've come to similar conclusions/timing, though often discount/ignore the first splash against muck/grazed grass in rotation.

Heavily dependant on rain/temp, though. In ideal conditions very little offset to AN needed. Only known in hindsight.