Efforts to Increase Grain Protein in Organic Winter Wheat.

Winter wheat(WW) was grown at Sidney and Concord, Nebraska in 2009 and at Sidney in 2010. Two previous crops, three levels of manure or compost, and three levels of a 7-0-0 OMRI approved N source at jointing were tested. At Concord, manure was applied to separate plots fall and spring. In addition to determining the best combination of treatments, the goal was to increase grain protein, a characteristic important to the organic milling industry. At Sidney results from the first year using dry pea as a green manure indicated that WW yields were reduced 7% following green manure fallow compared to black fallow. This was due to less stored soil moisture at WW planting. There was no affect of the foliar N treatment on yield or WW protein levels. At Concord, the previous crops were corn and alfalfa. Incomplete kill of alfalfa produced 6% less WW. Due to late spring application of manure, spring manure application decreased yields 12% compared to fall manure application. Generally, the first increment of manure produced equivalent yields to the 2X rate. Late season foliar N application increased protein content about 0.5 percent but did not affect yield.