Effects of foliar-applied nitrogen fertilizer on oilseed rape (Brassica napus)

2013 ◽  
Vol 153 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. WHITE ◽  
S. E. ROQUES ◽  
P. M. BERRY

SUMMARYThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects on yield, oil concentration and nitrogen (N) uptake efficiency of N fertilizer applied to the foliage of oilseed rape during and soon after flowering. Four field experiments were conducted in the UK during the 2008/09 and 2009/10 seasons which investigated six rates of soil-applied N (ammonium nitrate) ranging from 0 to 280 or 320 kg N/ha with each treatment followed by 0 or 40 kg/ha of foliar N applied as a solution of urea at the end of flowering. Each experiment also investigated five rates of foliar N ranging from 0 to 120 kg N/ha applied at the end of flowering and five timings of foliar N (40 kg N/ha) from mid-flowering to 2 weeks after the end of flowering.Foliar N at 40 kg N/ha applied at the end of flowering significantly increased the seed yield in three of the four experiments. The seed yield increase across all four experiments was 0·25 t/ha (range of 0–0·41 t/ha). In two experiments, the increase in seed yield in response to foliar N occurred irrespective of whether it followed sub-optimal or super-optimal rates of soil-applied N; in one experiment there was a greater response at sub-optimal soil-applied N rates. The foliar N treatment reduced the seed oil concentration by 11 g/kg and increased seed protein concentration by 11 g/kg. Similar yield responses were observed for foliar N applications between mid-flowering and 2 weeks after the end of flowering. The efficiency with which foliar N was taken up into the plant varied between 0 and 100% with an average uptake efficiency across the four experiments of 61%.

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 61-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franz Weisler ◽  
Torsten Behrens ◽  
Walter J. Horst

To improve nitrogen (N) efficiency in agriculture, integrated N management strategies that take into consideration improved fertilizer, soil, and crop management practices are necessary. This paper reports results of field experiments in which maize (Zea mays L.) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) cultivars were compared with respect to their agronomic N efficiency (yield at a given N supply), N uptake efficiency (N accumulation at a given N supply), and N utilization efficiency (dry matter yield per unit N taken up by the plant). Under conditions of high N supply, significant differences among maize cultivars were found in shoot N uptake, soil nitrate depletion during the growing season, and the related losses of nitrate through leaching after the growing season. Experiments under conditions of reduced N supply indicated a considerable genotypic variation in reproductive yield formation of both maize and oilseed rape. High agronomic efficiency was achieved by a combination of high uptake and utilization efficiency (maize), or exclusively by high uptake efficiency (rape). N-efficient cultivars of both crops were characterized by maintenance of a relatively high N-uptake activity during the reproductive growth phase. In rape this trait was linked with leaf area and photosynthetic activity of leaves. We conclude that growing of N-efficient cultivars may serve as an important element of integrated nutrient management strategies in both low- and high-input agriculture.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yangyang Zhang ◽  
Piaopiao Lu ◽  
Tao Ren ◽  
Jianwei Lu ◽  
Li Wang

Cultivation of winter oilseed rape hybrids has been introduced as a promising solution to improve the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and to reduce the large N balance surpluses in this crop. To achieve a better understanding of the underlying physiological mechanisms, field experiments were conducted over two years to investigate the dynamics of growth and N capture in an oilseed rape hybrid and its parental lines under both low (0 kg ha−1) and high (180 kg ha−1) N supply. The results showed that the dynamic trajectories of crop growth and N capture could be accurately characterized by logistic equation using growing degree days as the independent variable. At both N rates, the oilseed rape hybrid outperformed the parental lines in seed yield and aboveground biomass accumulation, which was more closely associated with the longer duration (td) of the rapid growth period (RGP), than with the higher maximum growth rate (vm). N uptake was the main factor driving genotypic variation in seed yield, with an increasing importance of N utilization efficiency at high N supply. The hybrid had significantly higher N uptake than the parental lines at both low and high N supply, because of larger vm for N accumulation during the RGP, which may present a scope for genetically improving NUE in oilseed rape. High N application enhanced crop biomass production and N accumulation, as a result of prolonged td and larger vm during the RGP. The initiation of RGP for N accumulation occurred after overwinter period, which could not be accelerated by high N supply, suggesting rational distribution of N fertilizer with reduced basal dose. However, larger amounts in spring would be beneficial for a better synchronization to crop N demand with lower environmental risks.


1984 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 118-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H. Scarisbrick ◽  
R. W. Daniels

Oilseed rape is currently the third most important crop in the UK after barley and wheat. Field experiments show that despite the already attractive yields the full potential of the crop has not yet been achieved. However, its future is uncertain in that the area devoted to it within the EEC—representing one-fifth of world production—is strongly influenced by the financial incentives offered. It is suggested that within the Community output should be limited to 3.3m tonnes p.a. for the next five years.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Remigiusz Łukowiak ◽  
Witold Grzebisz

It has been assumed that the management of both soil and fertilizer N in winter oilseed rape (WOSR) is crucial for N accumulation in seeds (Nse) and yield. This hypothesis was evaluated based on field experiments conducted in 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11 seasons, each year at two sites, differing in soil fertility, including indigenous N (Ni) supply. The experimental factors consisted of two N fertilizers: N and NS, and four Nf rates: 0, 80, 120, 160 kg ha−1. Yield, as governed by site × Nf rate interaction, responded linearly to Nse at harvest. The maximum Nse (Nsemax), as evaluated by N input (Nin = Ni + Nf) to WOSR at spring regrowth, varied from 95 to 153 kg ha−1, and determined 80% of yield variability. The basic reason of site diversity in Nsemax was Ni efficiency, ranging from 46% to 70%, respectively. The second cause of Nse variability was a shortage of N supply from + 9.5 soil to −8.8 kg ha−1 to the growing seeds during the seed filling period (SFP). This N pool supports the N concentration in seeds, resulting in both seed density and a seed weight increase, finally leading to a yield increase.


2016 ◽  
Vol 155 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. ROQUES ◽  
D. R. KINDRED ◽  
S. CLARKE

SUMMARYTriticale has a reputation for performing well on poor soils, under drought and with reduced inputs, but there has been little investigation of its performance on the better yielding soils dominated by wheat production. The present paper reports 16 field experiments comparing wheat and triticale yield responses to nitrogen (N) fertilizer on high-yielding soils in the UK in harvest years 2009–2014. Each experiment included at least two wheat and at least two triticale varieties, grown at five or six N fertilizer rates from 0 to at least 260 kg N/ha. Linear plus exponential curves were fitted to describe the yield response to N and to calculate economically optimal N rates. Normal type curves with depletion were used to describe protein responses to N. Whole crop samples from selected treatments were taken prior to harvest to measure crop biomass, harvest index, crop N content and yield components. At commercial N rates, mean triticale yield was higher than the mean wheat yield at 13 out of 16 sites; the mean yield advantage of triticale was 0·53 t/ha in the first cereal position and 1·26 t/ha in the second cereal position. Optimal N requirement varied with variety at ten of the 16 sites, but there was no consistent difference between the optimal N rates of wheat and triticale. Triticale grain had lower protein content and lower specific weight than wheat grain. Triticale typically showed higher biomass and straw yields, lower harvest index and higher total N uptake than wheat. Consequently, triticale had higher N uptake efficiency and higher N use efficiency. Based on this study, current N fertilizer recommendations for triticale in the UK are too low, as are national statistics and expectations of triticale yields. The implications of these findings for arable cropping and cereals markets in the UK and Northern Europe are discussed, and the changes which would need to occur to allow triticale to fulfil a role in achieving sustainable intensification are explored.


2015 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Ulas ◽  
Torsten Behrens ◽  
Franz Wiesler ◽  
Walter J. Horst ◽  
Gunda Schulte auf’m Erley
Keyword(s):  

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1171
Author(s):  
Andrzej Brachaczek ◽  
Joanna Kaczmarek ◽  
Malgorzata Jedryczka

Winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is the main source of domestic oil in central and northern Europe, bringing profits to farmers, but the plants are often damaged by stem canker, caused by two fungal species belonging to the genus Leptosphaeria. Due to environmental concerns, the benefits of fungicide applications must outweigh disadvantages. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of stem canker on seed yield and its quality and find out the best timing of fungicide application. The multi-year field experiments were done at two sites in south-west Poland, where the disease is regarded as a serious problem. The fungicide treatments with the azole-containing preparation followed the same scheme each year; a single application was made at one-week intervals, starting in late September through mid-November for a total of eight treatments. Seed yield, oil and protein content, mass of thousand seeds as well as indole-and alkenyl-glucosinolate contents in seeds were statistically unrelated with the incidence and severity of phoma leaf spotting and stem canker symptoms. The significant decrease of the seed yield was observed in three (site × year combinations) of eight, in which phoma leaf spotting and stem canker were severe. Yield loss was noted only in years with warm and wet autumns, when cumulative mean temperatures between BBCH14 and BBCH19 plant growth stages exceeded 60 °C and precipitation in this period exceeded 110 mm of rain. Under these conditions, fungicide treatments were highly effective when they were done between BBCH15–BBC16 growth stages (5–6 true leaves).


1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youzhang Wei ◽  
R. W. Bell ◽  
Yuai Yang ◽  
Zhengqian Ye ◽  
Ke Wang ◽  
...  

In areas where soils are low in boron (B), the ability to predict B deficiency by plant analysis depends on the development of calibrated standards and offers the potential of preventing or minimising losses in seed yield. The present study aimed at establishing relationships between seed yield in winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and B concentrations in defined leaves during growth before fiowering and from them to determine critical values for the prognosis of B deficiency. Oilseed rape cv. Zheyouyou 2 was grown in 10 field experiments in Zhejiang province, south-east China, with B rates from 0 to 3· 3 kg/ha. At 4 of the sites, oilseed rape was resown in the following year to assess seasonal effects on critical concentrations. Experiments were conducted on the 3 main soil groups on which oilseed rape is grown in south-east China. The youngest open leaf (YOL) was selected as the sampling part because its B concentrations were strongly responsive to increasing B supply and well correlated with seed yield response. In this study, the best model of the relationship between YOL B concentration and yield was the Mitscherlich equation, which explained 68-89% of the variation in the data. The calculated critical range in the YOL at seedling stage was 20-25 mg B/kg and appeared to be valid in 2 seasons and on 3 soil types. The critical B range for prognosis of B deficiency was found to predict consistently those crops in farmers" fields that had low seed yield and low soil B, but needs to be evaluated in other growing environments especially those for spring rape.


2014 ◽  
Vol 153 (6) ◽  
pp. 1030-1043 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. L. WANG ◽  
G. D. DING ◽  
F. S. XU ◽  
H. M. CAI ◽  
J. ZOU ◽  
...  

SUMMARYNew-type oilseed rape (Brassica napus, ArArCcCc) with introgressed exotic subgenomic components from Brassica rapa (ArAr) and Brassica carinata (BcBcCcCc) showed strong heterosis in both vegetative and reproductive growth. The aim of the current study was to analyse the tolerance of the new-type B. napus with different exotic subgenomic contents to low nitrogen (N) stress. Under hydroponic culture and pot experiments, root system parameters, photosynthetic parameters, relative chlorophyll concentration (SPAD values), biomass, seed yield, seed yield components, N concentration and expressions of genes involved in N transport and assimilation were determined with two new-type B. napus genotypes (N-efficient genotype D4-15 and N-inefficient genotype D1-1) under high-N and low-N levels. Furthermore, N accumulation, N transfer efficiency and N use efficiency (NUE) were analysed in the two genotypes. The hydroponic and potted growth tests showed consistent characteristics in N uptake and utilization efficiency at the seedling stage, and N-efficient genotype (D4-15) showed better growth phenotypes across cultured conditions and N levels. Under the low-N condition, D4-15 produced a larger root system and accumulated more N, and had higher N transfer efficiency and NUE than D1-1. Moreover, D4-15 had significantly higher photosynthetic parameters, photosynthetic NUE and expression levels of the N transporter genes, BnNRT1·1, BnNRT2·5, BnNRT2·7 and BnAMT1·1, in roots or leaves, as well as higher seed yield than that of D1-1 under low-N supply. These results indicated that the N-efficient new-type B. napus D4-15 possessed excellent adaptability to low-N stress, which may be attributed to the highly introgressed exotic subgenomic components from B. rapa and B. carinata, suggesting the possibility of identifying high-nutrient-efficiency germplasm from inter-specific hybrids.


2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 681-688 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Lafond ◽  
C. Grant ◽  
A. Johnston ◽  
D. McAndrew ◽  
W. May

The major flax-growing areas of Canada coincide with areas where large shifts towards conservation tillage have occurred. These shifts have also brought about major changes in the way fertilizer is applied. The objective of this study was to determine the combination of nitrogen fertilizer form and N and P fertilizer placement methods that can increase N and P uptake, seed yield and seed oil concentration and composition in flax. The study was conducted at four locations covering the flax-growing areas over a 3-yr period. Three fertilizer forms, ammonium nitrate (AN), ammonium sulphate (AS) and urea were compared using different placement methods, pre-plant band (Pp) or side-band (Sb) in combination with monoammonium phosphate in either a Pp, Sb or seed-placed (Sp) position. Plant uptake of N and P was measured at 7, 14, 21 and 28 d after crop emergence and at the start of flowering. Other variables collected included crop establishment, crop yield and seed oil concentration and composition. AS resulted in the highest N uptake followed by AN then urea. As well, AS in the Sb showed higher N uptake than when applied Pp. The largest uptake of P was observed on days 7, 14 and 21 when AS and P were placed together in an Sb position. Crop establishment was adversely affected by urea and least by AN and AS, indicating that adequate seed-fertilizer separation between urea and flax seed is critical to minimizing reductions in plant stands. N form and placement, and P placement had no effect on seed oil concentration and composition in this study. Seed yield was improved marginally, overall, with the addition of P, while changes in N and P placement had no overall yield benefits. Treatments that resulted in improved N and P uptake in the first 21 d after crop emergence did not result in improved seed yields. When site × year interactions were investigated, 2 of 12 site years showed better yields when N and P were placed together in the Sb position. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that flax growers have many agronomically acceptable N and P management options available. Key words: Linum usitatissimum L., fertilizer placement, fertilizer form, nutrient uptake, seed yield, seed quality, oil quantity, urease inhibitor, Agrotain™


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