Abstract

Nitrogen (N) and fungicide are among the most important factors impacting wheat yields in Kansas. However, there is limited information on whether foliar fungicides interact with N rates in wheat yield determination. Thus, our objectives were to evaluate wheat yield as impacted by different N rates with or without the use of foliar fungicide. One field experiment was established using a factorial structure of five N rates (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 pounds of N per acre) by two fungicide management practices (either absent or 13 fluid ounces per acre of Nexicor) in a split-plot design near Hutchinson, KS, during the 2020–2021 wheat growing season. The variety Larry was planted at 90 pounds of seed per acre, N was the whole plot and fungicide was the subplot. There was a significant interaction between N and fungicide on winter wheat grain yield, where the benefit of fungicide was greater with higher N rates. In the absence of fungicide, wheat yields ranged from 51.1 bushels per acre in the zero N rate, to 68.5 bu/a in the highest N rate. Meanwhile, grain yield ranged from 57.3 bu/a when no N was applied, to 83.8 bu/a in the highest N rate. Despite higher yields when fungicides were applied, grain yield within fungicide treatment plateaued at the 90 pounds of N per acre rate. This experiment provided initial empirical evidence for the interaction between N management and fungicide. More field experiments are expected to validate this in future years.

Keywords: wheat, nitrogen, fungicide, yield

How to Cite:

Lollato, R. P., Pradella, L. O., Giordano, N., Ryan, L., Simão, L. M. & Soler, J. R., (2022) “Wheat Yield Response to Nitrogen Rate Depends on Foliar Fungicide Application”, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports 8(4). doi: https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.8302