Gage County
1115 West Scott St.,
Beatrice NE 68310
Phone: (402) 223-1384
FAX: (402) 223-1370

News Column

Paul C Hay, Extension Educator

Fertilizing Winter Wheat

Whether you soil test or not, the recommendations for fertilizing the winter wheat crop are based on soil testing. It is much better to base the recommendation on the soil test for that farm and that field. If no soil test exists the fertilizer dealer or Extension Educator are going to make assumptions based on experience with soil tests on fields in the area.

Starter fertilizer is recommended because it is an extremely efficient way to get phosphorus available for the crop. The soil test levels for phosphorus in area fields can vary from 7 ppm to 50 ppm using the Bray P1 soil test method. Wheat responds strongly to phosphorus fertilizer. If the soil test level is below 25 ppm, supplemental fertilizer is going to be recommended. Most soils will have soil test levels above 15 ppm and will require 20 pounds of phosphorus.

fertilizer banded with the seed or 40 pounds broadcast. As an example 5.5 gallons of 10-34-0 will supply 20 pounds of phosphorus, or 40 pounds of 11-52-0 would supply 20 pounds of phosphorus. The reason it takes more fertilizer broadcast to get the same yield result is a matter of soil chemistry. The soil will tie-up phosphorus and mineralize or release phosphorus depending on soil test level, season of the year, soil organic matter and many other factors. Lower soil test level fields will tie-up the phosphorus applied. Broadcast applications increase soil contact area for tie-up and reduce the chances a root will grow in the area and take up the phosphorus before it is tied-up.

Fields which have thinner soils and/or more erosion history are likely to have low soil test levels and need more fertilizer applications. Soil test levels below 15 ppm should have 40 pounds of phosphorus application in a band or 80 pounds broadcast.

Southeast Nebraska farmers generally under apply nitrogen fertilizer for the wheat crop. This seems strange when they tend to over apply on most other crops. The reason is because of the concern that the wheat will go down. I believe that is a legitimate concern where manure applications have been significant. Recent year's experience where wheat is using nitrogen left-over from short corn crops show us that wheat can indeed use 2 pounds of nitrogen per bushel of yield goal. This means applications rates of 90 to 100 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer.

The nitrogen contained in the starter should be enough to get the wheat off to a good start in the fall. More nitrogen should be applied before wheat is growing rapidly in the spring. This is usually done using UAN 28% liquid fertilizer or dry fertilizers which are urea or ammonium nitrate. The liquid can be applied with weed control herbicides. In either case the wise farmer places his order for application in late February or does his own application work then. It is best for the wheat's efficient use of the fertilizer if these applications are done before March 20. At that time of year a rain or snow can limit field work days for two to three weeks, so be ready and don't pass opportunities.

View other Gage County News Columns & News Letters: http://gage.unl.edu/news/news.htm

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