The effect of nitrogen (N) fertilisation on the growth of winter wheat varieties was examined in three diverse years using the functional method of growth analysis. The main plot in the two-factorial, split-plot experiment was the N treatment and the subplot the variety. The wheat varieties Mv Toborzó (extra-early), Mv Palotás (early) and Mv Verbunkos (mid-early) were treated with N rates of 0, 80, 160 and 240 kg N ha−1 (N0, N80, N160, N240). The Hunt-Parsons (HP) program fitted a third-degree exponential function to the dry matter and leaf area data. In 2007 and 2008 dry matter accumulation continued up to the N240 rate and in 2009 to the N160 rate. In all three years the highest value was recorded for Mv Verbunkos (4.62 g plant−1 in 2007, 4.63 g in 2008 and 4.51 g in 2009). The highest value of maximum leaf area (237.5 cm2) was found for Mv Verbunkos in the N240 treatment. The maximum values of leaf area in each N treatment, averaged over years and varieties (cm2 plant−1), were as follows: N0: 86.2; N80: 141.0; N160: 164.0; N240: 173.1. The parameter AGRmean exhibited the highest value (8.04 g day−1 102) in the N160 treatment, while among the varieties Mv Verbunkos had the highest mean value (7.18 g day−1 102). The highest value of RGRmean was achieved by Mv Toborzó in the N160 treatment in 2009 (3.94 g g−1 day−1 102). The value of NARmean increased up to fertiliser rates of N160 and N240, with mean values (g m−1 day−1) of N0: 2.35, N80: 2.44, N160: 2.53 and N240: 2.47. The highest value of NAR (3.29 g m−1 day−1) was obtained for Mv Palotás in the N160 treatment in 2008. On average the greatest value of LARmax was recorded in the N160 treatment (172.8 cm2 g−1), while the highest absolute value (213.6 cm2 g−1) was achieved by Mv Toborzó in 2008. The unfavourable effect of the drought in 2007 was clearly reflected in the values of the growth parameters.
