Modified fertilization strategies to increase grain protein of soft red winter wheat in the Mid‐Atlantic region

Abstract Millers in the Mid‐Atlantic are seeking high protein content in their flour and they are currently shipping hard wheat produced in the Western United States to blend with soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivum L.) produced locally to achieve this. They may offer a premium for a loc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nicole M. Fiorellino, Louis A. Thorne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-06-01
Series:Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.70154
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1839655647156633600
author Nicole M. Fiorellino
Louis A. Thorne
author_facet Nicole M. Fiorellino
Louis A. Thorne
author_sort Nicole M. Fiorellino
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Millers in the Mid‐Atlantic are seeking high protein content in their flour and they are currently shipping hard wheat produced in the Western United States to blend with soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivum L.) produced locally to achieve this. They may offer a premium for a local source of SRWW with higher grain protein. This may be achieved through selection of SRWW varieties with high protein potential, modifying nitrogen (N) fertilizer management through timing or total N rate, or the combination of both. We hypothesized that grain protein of SRWW varieties with either high yield or high protein potential could be increased with late‐season N application at the same rate and the increased protein result in decreased grain yield. Four fertilization strategies that shifted the same total N later in the season, that included a post‐flowering N application, and one that increased the total N rate were evaluated along with three varieties selected for high grain protein potential and one high‐yielding variety. Both grain yield and grain protein were significantly affected by variety, and grain protein only was significantly affected by fertilizer treatment. Shifting the same total N rate to four applications from three increased grain protein but was not different than four applications at an increased N rate. A significant, inverse relationship between grain yield and protein was observed. Producers in the Mid‐Atlantic are encouraged to calculate their cost of production and weigh this against possible protein premiums prior to production of high‐protein wheat.
format Article
id doaj-art-23f8fa5a6a1f4a6ebcc92c67bcc128ce
institution Matheson Library
issn 2639-6696
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment
spelling doaj-art-23f8fa5a6a1f4a6ebcc92c67bcc128ce2025-06-25T06:13:00ZengWileyAgrosystems, Geosciences & Environment2639-66962025-06-0182n/an/a10.1002/agg2.70154Modified fertilization strategies to increase grain protein of soft red winter wheat in the Mid‐Atlantic regionNicole M. Fiorellino0Louis A. Thorne1Department of Plant Science and Landscape ArchitectureUniversity of MarylandCollege Park Maryland USADepartment of Plant Science and Landscape ArchitectureUniversity of MarylandCollege Park Maryland USAAbstract Millers in the Mid‐Atlantic are seeking high protein content in their flour and they are currently shipping hard wheat produced in the Western United States to blend with soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivum L.) produced locally to achieve this. They may offer a premium for a local source of SRWW with higher grain protein. This may be achieved through selection of SRWW varieties with high protein potential, modifying nitrogen (N) fertilizer management through timing or total N rate, or the combination of both. We hypothesized that grain protein of SRWW varieties with either high yield or high protein potential could be increased with late‐season N application at the same rate and the increased protein result in decreased grain yield. Four fertilization strategies that shifted the same total N later in the season, that included a post‐flowering N application, and one that increased the total N rate were evaluated along with three varieties selected for high grain protein potential and one high‐yielding variety. Both grain yield and grain protein were significantly affected by variety, and grain protein only was significantly affected by fertilizer treatment. Shifting the same total N rate to four applications from three increased grain protein but was not different than four applications at an increased N rate. A significant, inverse relationship between grain yield and protein was observed. Producers in the Mid‐Atlantic are encouraged to calculate their cost of production and weigh this against possible protein premiums prior to production of high‐protein wheat.https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.70154
spellingShingle Nicole M. Fiorellino
Louis A. Thorne
Modified fertilization strategies to increase grain protein of soft red winter wheat in the Mid‐Atlantic region
Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment
title Modified fertilization strategies to increase grain protein of soft red winter wheat in the Mid‐Atlantic region
title_full Modified fertilization strategies to increase grain protein of soft red winter wheat in the Mid‐Atlantic region
title_fullStr Modified fertilization strategies to increase grain protein of soft red winter wheat in the Mid‐Atlantic region
title_full_unstemmed Modified fertilization strategies to increase grain protein of soft red winter wheat in the Mid‐Atlantic region
title_short Modified fertilization strategies to increase grain protein of soft red winter wheat in the Mid‐Atlantic region
title_sort modified fertilization strategies to increase grain protein of soft red winter wheat in the mid atlantic region
url https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.70154
work_keys_str_mv AT nicolemfiorellino modifiedfertilizationstrategiestoincreasegrainproteinofsoftredwinterwheatinthemidatlanticregion
AT louisathorne modifiedfertilizationstrategiestoincreasegrainproteinofsoftredwinterwheatinthemidatlanticregion