Nitrogen accumulation in wheat

With the development of high-yielding Mexican wheats (Triticum vulgare) it has become necessary to compile information on the most profitable growing methods for these varieties. Variety responses to various cultural or management practices such as fertility level and nutrient uptake at different growth stages of the plant usually have to be determined after the variety is released. In this study, growth responses of three wheat varieties (Inia-66, Sonora-64 and Ramona-50) were evaluated at four nitrogen levels and four vegetative growth stages of the plant. Nitrogen uptake by the plant at different growth stages is of particular interest: Jadav (1970) reported that Mexican wheats acquire most of their nitrogen during later stages of growth, in contrast to the local variety (Ramona 50), which consumes most of its nitrogen during early stages of plant growth. Seven characteristics of wheat--grain yield, straw yield, dry matter, weight of 10-grains, number of tillers, total nitrogen in plant, and percentage of protein in grain--were evaluated. Total nitrogen in plant shoot, as affected by four soil nitrogen levels and three wheat varieties, was also evaluated at four growth stages.