Reduced Tillage in a Three Year Potato Rotation

C rop and fertilizer management practices can increase wheat grain protein without sacrificing yield. Growing wheat with high grain protein begins with selecting the appropriate variety and providing enough fertilizer to meet the wheat’s requirements for growth and grain yield. If nutrient levels are sufficient to meet yield goals, then providing adequate available nitrogen (N) may be the most important management factor to produce high grain protein. Timing N Application to Avoid Losses. Using cultural practices or adding other nutrients to increase yield without adding additional N can reduce, rather than increase, protein through a dilution effect. Applying the entire N required for high yield and grain protein before or at seeding is risky. In low rainfall years, excess N applied early will not get used and may end up in the air or well water rather than in the wheat. Residual soil nitrate can become fertilizer dollars lost to leaching if followed by a wet winter and spring. In irrigated production, applying the entire necessary N early in the season can produce excess vegetation rather than grain yield or protein. Try the Nitrogen Economic Calculator. Base pre-plant N rates on realistic yield potential and residual soil nitrate. The Montana State University Small Grains Nitrogen Continued on page 2