Combined application of nitrogen and phosphorus to enhance nitrogen use efficiency and close the wheat yield gap on varying soils in semi‐arid conditions

McBeath, T M and Gupta, V V S R and Llewellyn, R S and Mason, S D and Davoren, C W and Correll, R L and Jones, B and Whitbread, A M (2019) Combined application of nitrogen and phosphorus to enhance nitrogen use efficiency and close the wheat yield gap on varying soils in semi‐arid conditions. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science (TSI), 205 (6). pp. 635-646. ISSN 0931-2250

[img] PDF - Published Version
Download (1MB)

Abstract

A primary driver of the wheat yield gap in Australia and globally is the supply of nitrogen (N) and options to increase N use efficiency (NUE) are fundamental to closure of the yield gap. Co‐application of N with phosphorus (P) is suggested as an avenue to increase fertiliser NUE, and inputs of N and P fertiliser are key variable costs in low rainfall cereal crops. Within field variability in the response to nutrients due to soil and season offers a further opportunity to refine inputs for increased efficiency. The response of wheat to N fertiliser input (0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 kg N ha‐1) under four levels of P fertiliser (0, 5, 10 and 20 kg P ha−1) was measured on three key low rainfall cropping soils (dune, mid‐slope and swale) across a dune‐swale system in a low rainfall semi‐arid environment in South Australia, for three successive cropping seasons. Wheat on sandy soils produced significant and linear yield and protein responses across all three seasons, while wheat on a clay loam only produced a yield response in a high rainfall season. Responses to P fertiliser were measured on the sandy soils but more variable in nature and a consistent effect of increased P nutrition leading to increased NUE was not measured.

Item Type: Article
Divisions: Research Program : Innovation Systems for the Drylands (ISD)
CRP: UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords: Dryland, Fertiliser responsiveness, Nutrition
Subjects: Others > Semi-Arid Tropics
Others > Food and Nutrition
Others > Wheat
Others > Fertilizer Applications
Depositing User: Mr Arun S
Date Deposited: 04 Apr 2020 05:31
Last Modified: 04 Apr 2020 05:31
URI: http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/11450
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.12357
Projects: UNSPECIFIED
Funders: Grains Research and Development Corporation, Grant/Award Number: CSA00025 and CSE00048
Acknowledgement: Funding for this work was from the Grains Research and Development Corporation (Project CSA00025 and CSE00048) and CSIRO. Thanks to Damian Mowat, Stasia Kroker, Daniel Smith, Neil Wittwer and Paul Adkins for technical support, to the Loller family for the provision of land, and to Jeff Braun and the Mallee Sustainable Farming Advisory Committee for additional advice. Thanks to Rodrigo Coqui da Silva and Mike McLaughlin for useful comments on the manuscript.
Links:
View Statistics

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item