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Nitrogen and fungicide management for improved field performance and flour functionality in Ontario hard wheats W. CAO (1), S. McClure (2), K. Janovicek (1), P. Johnson (2), J. Bock (1) (1) University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; (2) Middlesex Soil & Crop Improvement Association, , ON, Canada.
Nitrogen management is the most significant input cost to wheat producers. The recent surge in fungicide use on wheat in Ontario has impacted nitrogen management and response, but the extent of the impact on field performance and end-use quality is not known. The objective of this study was to identify optimal nitrogen (N) and fungicide (F) management strategies in Ontario for field performance and end-use flour functionality. First year field scale trials were conducted in 2014 to determine N response curves for hard winter (6 sites) and spring wheat (4 sites) at 5 N application rates with (F) and without fungicides (NF). Grain samples were collected for standard and advanced quality analyses including flour yield, protein and ash contents, Farinograph and gluten aggregation parameters, insoluble protein, secondary structure, and bake tests. N response curves showed the largest incremental yield gains between 0 and 60 lb N/ac. This amounted to 20.8 bu/ac and 16.2 bu/ac for F winter and spring wheat, respectively, but dropped to 18.0 bu/ac and 6.8 bu/ac for NF wheat. Cost analysis of the N response curves showed the most economical rate of N application (MER-N) to be 90 lb N/ac for spring wheat (F and NF), and 120 lb N/ac for NF and 150 lb N/ac for F winter wheat. Quality parameters including grain and flour protein, Farinograph parameters, and gluten aggregation were significantly affected by N rate but not F treatment. Insoluble protein content trended higher in F wheat, and secondary structure trends were apparent with F treatment. However, bread loaf volume did not reflect these trends. The first year results for F vs. NF wheat show N response curves and MER-N that deviate from current Ontario guidelines. Quality appears unaffected outside of the influence of N on protein content. Two more years of field trials are in progress to verify and refine these findings.
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