Abstract
Using plant sensing to determine the amount of nitrogen (N) to apply has the potential to increase profits in wheat (Triticum aestivum) production by reducing N cost or by increasing grain yield. The objective of this paper was to determine if yields and profits from experimental trials that used a precision N applicator to apply N were significantly different from trials that applied pre-determined amounts of N. Across Oklahoma, USA, experiments were designed to test 10 N treatments that included two variable rate treatments (VRT), two uniform rate treatments (URT) where the level of N applied was based on optical reflectance measurements (ORM), and six conventional treatments (i.e., pre-determined uniform rates of N). Data included treatments during 2005–2009 from eight different locations. Results indicated no statistical difference in yields between the conventional treatments that apply 90 kg ha−1 of N and the VRT and URT treatments. On average, the conventional treatment that applied 90 kg ha−1 of top-dress N produced the largest yield, with a VRT treatment producing the third largest yield. Profits were calculated for each treatment using a partial budget. On average, the treatment that received 90 kg ha−1 of top-dress N was the most profitable even though the pre-plant N (anhydrous ammonia) had a cost advantage relative to top-dress N (urea and ammonium nitrate).
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Notes
National Resource Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentive Program provides an incentive for adopting the ORM system. The subsidy is not included in this analysis because it is only available for a small number of counties in Oklahoma (USDA 2008c). The 2008 maximum available payment is $21,446.40. It is capped at 64.7 ha and can be paid out over a 1, 2, or 3 year time period.
The fragility of the results was tested by removing Altus, Perkins and 2008 Lahoma from the data and re-estimating the models. Altus is located in western Oklahoma and is marginal wheat land, Perkins has poor N responses due to its soil characteristics, and 2008 Lahoma were record high yields. Removing these observations data did not change the conclusions.
Abbreviations
- N:
-
Nitrogen
- NUE:
-
Nitrogen use efficiency
- ORM:
-
Optical reflectance measurements
- NFOA:
-
Nitrogen fertilizer optimization algorithm
- NRS:
-
Nitrogen rich strip
- NDVI:
-
Normalized difference vegetation index
- VRT:
-
Variable rate treatment
- URT:
-
Uniform rate treatment
- NH3 :
-
Anhydrous ammonia
- AN:
-
Ammonium nitrate
- UAN:
-
Urea ammonium nitrate
- LCB:
-
Lake Carl Blackwell
- USDA:
-
United States Department of Agriculture
- NASS:
-
National Agricultural Statistics Service
- LR:
-
Likelihood ratio
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank professors D. Brian Arnall and Randy Taylor for providing information about the experiments and David C. Roberts for helpful comments. Partial funding was provided by Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station through Hatch project OKL02170.
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Boyer, C.N., Wade Brorsen, B., Solie, J.B. et al. Profitability of variable rate nitrogen application in wheat production. Precision Agric 12, 473–487 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-010-9190-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-010-9190-5