Winter Wheat Spring Nitrogen Applications

Cristie Preston, Ph.D.

As winter wheat begins to green-up (break dormancy) in the spring, plant nitrogen requirements increase as biomass increases. It is critical that adequate nitrogen levels are supplied prior to jointing (first hollow stem). Adequate nitrogen levels promote tillering and large head size. Nitrogen is also the primary factor determining the protein level of the grain at harvest. By matching nitrogen applications with timing of uptake, farmers can potentially increase their nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and decrease the chances of losses.

Topdressing wheat at green-up can be done using urea or urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution. Regardless of the source, the main goal is to get the nitrogen below any residue present and into the root zone for plant uptake. Nitrogen loss, as ammonia volatilization, can increase when ammonium based fertilizers are applied to the soil surface without incorporation and without penetrating the canopy.

Check out the Nebraska guide for Estimating Winter Wheat Grain Yields at various growth stages.