Journal
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
Volume 74, Issue -, Pages 56-67Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2015.11.020
Keywords
Winter wheat; Active optical sensor; Variable nitrogen application; On-farm research
Categories
Funding
- Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education [NN 310 089036]
- European Regional Development Fund under the Innovative Economy Operational Programme
- Farm Frites Poland SA company
- [POIG.01.03.01-14-041/12]
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Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) represents almost 50% of total cereal production in the European Union, accounting for approximately 25% of total mineral nitrogen (N) fertilizer applied to all crops. Currently, several active optical sensor (AOS) based systems for optimizing variable N fertilization are commercially available for a variety of crops, including wheat. To ensure successful adoption of these systerns, definitive measurable benefits must be demonstrated. Nitrogen management strategies developed based on small-scale plot research are not always meaningful for large-scale farm conditions. In 2010-2012 (5 site-years) on-farm study was implemented in northern Polanctutilizing a strip-trial design. The objective was to evaluate the performance of AOS in combination with a built-in algorithm for variable N rate fertilization. In this study, the reference uniform N rates (farmer's practice) were comparable to optimum variable N rate recommendations. Side-by-side comparisons of uniform and variable N application revealed inconsistent benefits in terms of grain yield, grain protein content (GPC), N use and N use efficiency (NUE). Anticipated yield increases and/or reduced N rates are typical drivers for AOS adoption. Significant yield increases are not easily attained on farms with winter wheat yields already close to maximum yield potential. Thus, sensor-based variable N rate recommendations for fields previously fertilized with relatively low uniform N rates would often entail more appropriate allocation (redistribution) of the same amount of total N. This would minimize N surplus in areas of lower productivity and to improve the sustainability of N management overall. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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