Effect of a Post-Anthesis Foliar Application of Nitrogen on Grain Protein and Milling and Baking Quality of Spring Wheat

Hard red spring wheat in North America must be high in protein in order to avoidcostly discounts when marketed. Many newer cultivars have higher yield potentialbut produce relatively lower grain protein levels. A post-anthesis foliar application ofurea-ammonium nitrate mixed with equal part water at 33 kg·ha-1 nitrogen (N) canincrease grain protein levels by up to one percent. This increase can be profitablewhen market premiums/discounts for protein are moderate to high. Nitrogen appliedpost-anthesis consistently increased grain protein content more than the applicationof the same rate of N to the soil prior to planting. Milling and baking analysisreveals augmenting the protein in this way does not diminish its functionality.