The Juggle Between Protein, Yield & Straw

[teslacoils]

So, just got the tests back to find my gleam wheat protein in the 13s. Not a bad thing, but also in a season of high yields and lots of straw, I was wondering how folk go about managing their N input timings to adjust this? Ideally, I'd take rather that nitrogen made grain rather than protein.

I'm mainly a urea user, along with the digestate, the former I can change to AN and the latter I have very little control over the timing. Total N is quite a lot, so what can be tweeked to get the inputs turning to yield?

 

[Gong Farmer]

So, you're assuming the high protein means N was misdirected? If you want to make sure applied N goes to make yield and not protein, finish applications by early April (this suits urea anyway) and if going later than that, make sure it rains in May.

 

[warksfarmer]

So, just got the tests back to find my gleam wheat protein in the 13s. Not a bad thing, but also in a season of high yields and lots of straw, I was wondering how folk go about managing their N input timings to adjust this? Ideally, I'd take rather that nitrogen made grain rather than protein.

I'm mainly a urea user, along with the digestate, the former I can change to AN and the latter I have very little control over the timing. Total N is quite a lot, so what can be tweeked to get the inputs turning to yield?

The only year we managed Group 1 spec and 4.2t/ac average was 2012. Never done it before and never since. Generally 3.7t/ac max yield gets us group 1. Any more yield and protein drops. Our yields aren’t great this year so I’m hoping for group 1 spec but we will see.

 

[teslacoils]

So, you're assuming the high protein means N was misdirected? If you want to make sure applied N goes to make yield and not protein, finish applications by early April (this suits urea anyway) and if going later than that, make sure it rains in May.

Yes. It's probably a simplistic view. But either I need to change onto group ones, or cut back N if I cant "divert" it to yield. Ferts not cheap and excess protein in feed wheat is not financially rewarding.

 

[FarmerBruce]

Yes. It's probably a simplistic view. But either I need to change onto group ones, or cut back N if I cant "divert" it to yield. Ferts not cheap and excess protein in feed wheat is not financially rewarding.

What was yield

 

[B'o'B]

Did the Fert actually get washed in to the rooting zone early enough this season? April and early-mid May were very dry here.

 

[teslacoils]

What was yield

Lots.

 

[B'o'B]

Lots.

How much N?

 

[Lincsman]

The dry spring ensured the N was there for the grain and not straw... simples

 

[fudge]

So, just got the tests back to find my gleam wheat protein in the 13s. Not a bad thing, but also in a season of high yields and lots of straw, I was wondering how folk go about managing their N input timings to adjust this? Ideally, I'd take rather that nitrogen made grain rather than protein.

I'm mainly a urea user, along with the digestate, the former I can change to AN and the latter I have very little control over the timing. Total N is quite a lot, so what can be tweeked to get the inputs turning to yield?

Is it possible to match N to yield precisely? I haven’t seen any evidence that this is possible purely because the potential yield isn’t known at the time of application. Personally I would be cautious about changing a successful policy on the results from one year. Although I wonder if successive applications of digestate are of more benefit than you have allowed for?

 

[ajd132]

Maybe it wasn’t sunny enough to make the grains bigger so it went into excess protein