Late Foliar Applications to Winter Wheat

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Experiment Info

Planted	10/4/2011
Variety	Pioneer 25W43
Population	2 mill seed/A
Previous Crop	Navy beans
Plot size	15’x180’/210’/130′
Replications	5
Topdress	4/13/2011
Late Foliar	5/24/2011
Harvested	7/13/2011

Soil Test Values (ppm)

pH	7.5
CEC	8.3
%OM	1.6
Bicarb	7
K	70
S	12
%K	2.2
%Mg	15.5
%Ca	81.7
%H	0
%Na	0.6
Zn	1.2
Mn	3
B	0.6

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Objective:

Late Foliar Applications 1 — This picture was taken on May 5. The plot to the left of the stake received the Pro-Germinator + Micro 500 through the drill at planting. The plot to the right of the stake received nothing at that time. At the time, it was apparent that the plots that received the fall fertilizer had larger wheat and the plants were darker green.

The two pictures on the left are from this experiment. The picture on the left was taken on May 5. The plot to the left of the stake received the Pro- Germinator + Micro 500 through the drill at planting. The plot to the right of the stake received nothing at that time. At the time, it was apparent that the plots that received the fall fertilizer had larger wheat and the plants were darker green. The picture on the right is during the late foliar application on May 24. There were no visible signs of wheat disease at any time before or after the applications. There was no fertilizer burn on the wheat leaves following application. — This picture was taken during the late foliar
application on May 24. There were no visible signs of wheat disease at any time before or after the applications. There was no fertilizer burn on the wheat leaves following application.

1) Evaluate the effects of a drill application of 4 gal/A of Pro-Germinator + 2 qt/A on yield of winter wheat compared to no fertilizer applied, which is the most common treatment option. (2) Evaluate the effects of a fungicide application (Quadris) at fl ag leaf (Feekes stage 10) either alone or with foliar fertilizers. (Note: all treatments received the same topdress application: 12 gal/A High NRG-N + 16 gal/A 28%+eNhance.)

Winter wheat is usually planted right after soybean harvest here in the Upper Midwest, and is usually not fertilized at that time. Later in the growing season, foliar applications of fungicides have often shown yield increases due to suppression of fungal diseases. The application of fungicides presents an excellent opportunity for the inclusion of some crop nutrition. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the above two objectives, and this was the second year of application of these treatments.

For the foliar application, spray volume was at 20 gal/A with Turbo TeeJet nozzles (TJ-03) at a pressure of 60 psi.

Treatment yields appear in the following chart.

Conclusions:

The application of the Pro-Germinator + Micro 500 at planting resulted in a signifi cant yield increase.
Application of Quadris, Quadris + ferti-Rain and Quadris + NResponse had a larger yield effect on the wheat that received Pro-Germinator + Micro 500 at planting. It is possible that the addition of fertilizer at planting increased yield potential. The presence of the foliar inputs was able to take advantage of wheat that was not limited by lack of nutrition in the fall, whether this was due to larger plants, or better fed.
The application of the planting-time fertilizer did not seem to have a major effect on the treatment that received no foliar application. There must have been a synergistic effect where the presence of both had a far greater effect than that of either input alone.

Treatment averages from the two years of this experiment appear in the following table.

Effect of Drill-Applied Fertilizer and Foliar Applications on Winter Wheat Yield.

North Central Research Station. 2010-2011

With Drill Fertilizer	2010	2011	2 yr avg.
no foliar	83.7	85.9	84.8
Quadris alone	86.3	93.2	89.8
Quadris + ferti-Rain	85.5	97.6	91.6
Quadris + NResponse	88.2	98.5	93.4
Quadris + Coron	83.9	87.2	85.6
Average:	85.5	92.5	89.0
No Drill Fertilizer
no foliar	73.6	83	78.3
Quadris alone	71.7	83.4	77.6
Quadris + ferti-Rain	81.4	84.6	83.0	Application rates in table:
Quadris + NResponse	79.2	89.3	84.3	Quadris: 8 fluid oz/A
Quadris + Coron	81.4	85.3	83.4	NResponse and Coron: 3 gal/A
Average:	77.5	85.1	81.3	ferti-Rain: 3 gal/A (2010); 2 gal/A (2011)

Conclusions:

There was a 7.7 Bu/A advantage per year from the application of the planter-time fertilizer (4 gal/A Pro-Germinator + 2 qt/A Micro 500).
Addition of ferti-Rain and NResponse to the foliar application of Quadris did result in further yield increase of wheat.

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