Effect of nitrogenous fertiliser on wheat yield and baking quality

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Abstract
Responses in grain yield and baking quality were obtained from nitrogenous fertilisers in two series of wheat manurial experiments carried out in New Zealand in 1929–30 and over the period from 1957–58 to 1964–65. The responses were greater in the early series, but the influence of the preceding crop was substantial in both. In the recent series the effects on yield responses of time of nitrogen application, time of sowing, class of soil, and seasonal differences were in decreasing order of importance. Forms of fertiliser were not compared. An economic yield response to a fairly high rate of nitrogen may be anticipated only where wheat is grown after a cereal crop, and only where a reasonably high yield is expected. More information is needed on optimum times and rates of nitrogen application. In general, response to a low rate was small, and in some conditions high rates reduced yields. Baking quality was improved by added nitrogen in most of the trials. The smallest improvement followed potatoes or pasture, where baking scores were already high without the use of nitrogen. The availability of inorganic nitrogen in the soil throughout the season was indicated by baking scores from plots not receiving nitrogen. In trials sown in autumn or winter the yield responses to early application of nitrogen were inversely related to the soil nitrogen content, but there was no such relation in the groups of trials sown or topdressed later. Where wheat was a second crop from pasture, quality responses were equally high at all levels of control baking score.