Thank you!
We received your registration request and will send you an e-mail in order to confirm your e-mail address shortly.
Please, finish the registration by clicking on the link in this e-mail.
Nitrogen is the most important input for growing soft wheat.
That’s why it’s essential to think carefully about how and when to apply nitrogen fertilizer, so you can get the best yield and the right protein content.
This season has once again brought some tough growing conditions, so it’s a good idea to keep a few key basics in mind when planning your nitrogen applications.
Splitting nitrogen applications is key to feeding your wheat throughout its growth cycle, while also reducing losses to the environment—like nitrogen leaching into water or escaping into the air.
Keep in mind: applying all your nitrogen too early can do more harm than good.
Even if yield potential is lower this year, splitting your nitrogen into multiple doses—including one late in the season—is still beneficial.
In fact, using 3 split applications instead of 2 (with the same total amount) can give you, on average, +1 quintal per hectare in yield and +0.3% more protein (source: Arvalis).
From the stage when the last leaf appears (BBCH 37) until the end of heading, wheat can absorb up to 4 units of nitrogen per day per hectare.
The final nitrogen application has two goals:
- Keep the plant nourished and producing grain, which helps boost your yield
- Increase the protein content in the grain, which can raise its market value
To make nitrogen fertilization as efficient as possible, managing the final application with a decision support tool is the best way to adjust the amount applied to the crop’s actual needs.
Ammonium nitrate: the most efficient form of nitrogen
Ammonium nitrate, such as MYPREMIAN® 33.5 N, is the best-suited form to achieve both yield and protein content targets. It’s also the least sensitive to ammonia volatilization, which ensures the highest efficiency for the final nitrogen application.
This last application usually takes place during periods when temperatures increase the risk of ammonia losses through volatilization
There’s little risk in applying nitrogen late in the season (from late April to mid-May).
In 7 years out of 10, there’s enough rain across the country to make that late nitrogen worthwhile—about 15 mm of rain within 15 days after spreading is usually enough for the crop to take it up properly.
