Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate and Timing Effect on Bread Wheat Protein in Eastern Canada

Nitrogen management for production of bread quality wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) in eastern Canada has received little research attention. An experiment was conducted for 2 years at each of two sites in Québec to study the effect of level and timing of nitrogen (N) fertilizer application on grain protein concentration, protein content per seed, non-protein seed dry matter, grain protein yield and nitrogen harvest index (portion of plant N in the grain) of four hard red spring wheat cultivars known to have potential as bread wheats in eastern Canada. The soil types were Bearbroock clay (fine, mixed, non-acid, frigid, Humaquept) and Ste-Rosalie clay (typic, non-acid, frigid, Humaquept). The experiment was a 4 × 4 × 2 factorial. Four cultivars were used: Columbus, Katepwa, Max and Hege 155–85. In both years 0, 60, 120 and 180 kg Nha^?1 were applied either all at seeding or 60 % at seeding and 40 % at heading. Grain protein concentration and grain protein yield increased consistently with increasing N fertilizer and with split N application. Nitrogen harvest index was not increased by increasing applications of N fertilizer. Protein content per seed was more critical in determining grain protein concentration than non-protein seed dry matter content. The western Canadian cultivars Columbus and Katepwa generally had greater grain protein concentration than the European cultivars Max and Hege 155–85, With reasonable N fertility the grain protein concentration of spring wheats grown in eastern Canada are sufficient for bread production.