Just in time delivery works in manufacturing crops just like it does on the assembly line.
In the context of fertilizer, delivering nitrogen just in time may reduce application and save money in a dry growing season. In years when the rains come, there are more chances to add nitrogen to boost protein content throughout the season.
For cereal crops, especially durum, applying too little nitrogen at seeding leads to low protein at harvest, which means lower sales prices.
Agriculture Canada analysis of Canadian Wheat Board statistics shows most of the Canadian durum crop grown in the 1990s contained less than 12.5 percent protein, meaning it failed to achieve premium prices. The result was a loss of durum markets to Australia and the United States.
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Guy Lafond of Agriculture Canada in Indian Head, Sask., said the low protein was probably a result of continuous cropping, which drained residual soil nitrogen, combined with a failure to add more.
This year, growing conditions are right for cereals to produce lots of large, plump kernels, filled with starches. Starch dilutes the limited amount of protein converted from available nitrogen.
New studies show nitrogen may be added to durum as late as the flowering stage and still create higher protein in the seed.
Research at two Agriculture Canada research stations in Saskatchewan suggests that attaining 13 percent protein and above can be accomplished through in-season applications of nitrogen.
Tests were conducted on four durum cultivars, AC Avonlea, AC Morse, AC Navigator and Kyle. Three rates were used, 17.6, 35.2 and 52.8 pounds per acre and four timings of application: seeding, five leaf, flag leaf and flowering.
The three newer varieties responded with the greatest yield and protein increases when nitrogen was applied at seeding.
If 75 percent of the expected nitrogen requirement was applied at seeding and the additional nitrogen was applied later, the yield was not significantly increased. However protein levels, necessary to garner premiums from the market, did climb due to the additional nitrogen.
In dry conditions, applications of nitrogen in crop had a lesser effect, but when soil moisture was consistently high throughout the season, nitrogen applications at all growth stages boosted the protein level.
Bill May of Agriculture Canada in Indian Head said the risk of in-crop nitrogen applications might be that it will promote growth and delay maturity.
“Each producer needs to weigh that effect and balance their (in-crop) applications accordingly. If you’re already two weeks behind, then you need to weigh the risk of further delays. But if it looks like not making the grade, the risk of delay in maturity is likely worth it,” he said.
“This year 10-20 lb. N would make a big difference.”
He said moisture conditions this year are ideal for applications through the flowering stages.
“The effect on (hard red spring wheat) would be similar, but we didn’t study that,” he said.
Stewart Brandt of the department’s research farm at Scott, Sask., said dribble applications of liquid forms of nitrogen are most effective, but that given the moisture conditions present across most the Prairies, 46-00 would be just as effective with even a “heavy dew to get it into the soil.”
Brandt, Lafond and other researchers are studying technology that measures the red and near infrared reflectance of plant leaves.
The Green Seeker technology, supplied by Ntech of Ukiah, California, is more immediate than relying on satellite imaging, which can take several weeks to provide reports from its 18-day earth transits.
Brandt said it is still to be determined whether targeting the application of nitrogen in-crop to areas that appear to be in need will be cost effective for western Canadian cereals, but “so far, it appears there might be something to it.”
Brandt said being able to determine need and then apply nitrogen and potentially sulfur to oilseed crops such as canola as they grow might be the most effective way to manage both yield and protein.
“And to do this from the sprayer or applicator seat on the go, this is one of the most promising areas of precision agriculture technology,” he said.
