Use of Tissue Testing to Prevent Low Grain Protein Content in Durum, 2005

Low grain protein content in durum can be prevented by applying nitrogen fertilizer after heading. Tentative guidelines were established from previous research for nitrogen fertilizer applications after heading based on the lower stem nitrate content near heading. Three durum fields in Pinal County were selected for testing the use of these guidelines for ensuring grain protein contents greater than 13%. These fields were split into plots that either received late N fertilization after heading or not. The stem nitrate content at heading for two of the fields averaged 6337 ppm, indicating no need for late N fertilizer application to achieve grain protein content above 13%, and the grain protein content for these fields averaged 15.1% with or without late N fertilizer. The stem nitrate content at heading was 894 ppm for the third field, the stem nitrate guidelines called for a late N application of about 63 lbs N/a, and a late N application of 46 lbs N/a increased grain yield protein from 11.54 to 13.34%. Our tentative nitrogen fertilizer recommendations based on stem samples near heading appear accurate