Response of Winter Wheat Growth, Grain Yield, and Phosphorus and Nitrogen Uptake to Foliar Phophite Fertilization.

Summary

One of the major problems that potentially hinder the use of foliar method as a tool to improve nutrient use efficiency is the lack of formulations that can be easily absorbed by cereal leaves. A phosphite based product, Nutri-Phite Take Off® (TO) was evaluated as an alternative formulation for foliar application in wheat in this study. Five winter wheat field trials were established in the fall of 2009 and 2010 at Sumner and Perkins, OK.  Treatments encompassed the application of nitrogen (N) at 100 or 75% of crop need, and phosphorus (P expressed as P₂O₅) at 100 or 75 to 80% sufficiency; both with and without TO. Additionally, a treated (dressed) seed treatment was part of the treatments structure. Nutri-PhiteTake Off® was applied at two stages of winter wheat, 2-4 leaf stage (GS 13 to 14) and 61 cm high (GS 49 to 53) at the rate of 4 l ha^-1. Application of TO slightly improved plant height, tillers per plant, grain yield, and percent grain protein and phosphorus at both locations. Treated seed plus N and P applied at 100% of crop need / sufficiency did not statistically yield better than the treatments that received the same fertilizer but without seed treatment. However, winter wheat grain protein level was improved with the combined seed and foliar TO treatments. The application of N and TO also resulted in higher yields and more percent protein than the application of P and TO. This study indicated that TO has some potential for improving yield and quality of wheat. The application of TO with adequate N and P did not result in increased yield or quality when compared with only TO application.