A protocol for spring milling wheat production in the Maritimes

Abstract

Maritime cereal producers have had difficulty in producing spring milling wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crops of 13.5% grain protein with consistency. A 3-yr study was conducted from 1999 to 2001 to develop a nitrogen management protocol to produce spring milling wheat with 13.5% grain protein. Experiments were conducted at three locations: Harrington, Prince Edward Island; Hartland, New Brunswick; and Truro, Nova Scotia. Ten split nitrogen treatments were applied to four spring milling wheat cultivars, AC Walton, Glenlea, Grandin and SS Maestro. Generally, any split nitrogen application of 75 to 100 kg ha-1 or greater produced grain protein of 13.5%. However, 10 cultivars out of 36 cultivar × site combinations failed to reach the desired 13.5% grain protein at any nitrogen treatment. Moisture stress after flowering, excessive precipitation during early plant development and protein dilution due to high grain yield were some of the possible reasons why 13.5% grain protein was not obtained. Milling quality was enhanced with increasing amounts of applied nitrogen because as grain protein increased, water absorption, development time, dough stability and time to dough breakdown increased while mixing tolerance index and 20-minute drop decreased. There was little or no improvement in milling quality with nitrogen applications greater than 75 to 100 kg ha-1. Maritime grain producers can produce high-quality, high-yielding spring wheat with relatively low levels of nitrogen input; however, environmental factors may override management in determining the ultimate product quality. Key words: Spring wheat, Triticum aestivum, protein, milling quality, nitrogen