Using chlorophyll meter for predicting wheat nitrogen requirements

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted at the Agric. Res. Centre Station, Giza Governorate, Egypt during 2006/2007 and 2007 /2008 seasons. Each experiment included three bread wheat cultivars (Sakha-94, Giza-168 and Gemmiza-9) and five N fertilization treatments (0, 40, 80 120 kg N/fed. and conditional N treatment). Results revealed that Gemmiza-9 cultivar achieved the highest increases in yield and its attributes, weight of 1000-grains and wet and dry gluten %. Also, such cultivar was the efficient for producing higher grain yield at low nitrogen rate and the responsive to increase N fertilizer rates (ER). Adding 120 kg N/fed. recorded the maximum values of yield and its attributes. N recommended rate came in the second order statistically equalizing with conditional N treatment for grain yield. The conditional N treatment, 80 and 120 kg N/fed. (for protein %) as well as conditional N treatment and 80 kg N/fed. (for protein yield, wet gluten % and dry gluten %) were substantially equaled. Moreover, conditional N treatment achieved the highest values of AE and RF.