Agricultural News
Timely Nitrogen Application Key Lesson Learned From 2020 Wheat Crop Says Brian Arnall, OSU Precision Nutrient Management Specialist
Tue, 12 May 2020 10:52:56 CDT
Farmers have been growing wheat in Oklahoma for more than 100 years and yet there are still lessons to be learned about this vitally important crop. During the recent OSU wheat field day at Lahoma Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Associate Farm Director and Editor KC Sheperd talked with Brian Arnall, OSU Extension precision nutrient management specialist, about this year's winter wheat crop.
Arnall said the long-term fertility study established at Lahoma in 1971 started as a continuous cultivated wheat field and was converted to no-till 10 years ago. Results from this test plot emphasizes the need for nutrient management, especially timely nitrogen application.
Investing in nitrogen helps crops produce more organic carbon in the soil, Arnall said.
The challenge this year, and last year, is pre-plant application of nitrogen did not benefit the crop as much as later topdressing applications.
We've had too much fall and spring rain, Arnall said. The pre pant nitrogen just didn't stick around, so we had a lot of nitrogen deficiencies.
Arnall said there has been a short window in early March, around the first hollow-stem development, when producers top dressed the crop with nitrogen.
The wheat really responded to that late application, Arnall said.
The key lesson learned is we do not need pre plant nitrogen for grain only production, Arnall said.
The OSU specialist said the Lahoma test plots look great and encouraged producers to check out the new cell phone ap where they can view new wheat varieties.
There are plot maps with individual variety signs that have QR codes.
The producer can come to Lahoma and scan the codes with their cell phones and information on each variety will pop up on their phone.
You can hear KC's complete interview with Arnall by clicking on the listen bar below.
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