Hard Red Spring Wheat Response to Row Spacing, Seeding Rate, and Nitrogen

Abstract

Row spacing, plant density, and N application timing can be manipulated to optimize plant growth and spatial distribution, therefore maximizing sunlight, nutrients, soil water use effi ciency and grain yield. A 2-yr fi eld study to evaluate the eff ects of four seeding rates (108, 215, 323, and 430 seeds m -2 ), two row spacings (15 and 30 cm), and three N treatments (FA1, 100% at seeding; FA2, 50% at seeding and 50% at tiller formation; and FA3, 50% at seeding and 50% at shoot elongation) on grain yield of McNeal hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was conducted in central Montana. Spring wheat accumulated greater biomass at a faster rate under the 15-cm row spacing than the 30-cm row spacing. Grain yield was 410 and 412 kg ha -1 greater at 15-cm than at 30-cm row spacings in 2004 and 2005, and the yield increase was primarily attributed to 44 and 40 more spikes m -2 at 15-cm than at 30-cm row spacing in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Grain yield was not signifi cantly aff ected by the N treatments, thus all N should be applied at seeding. Th e optimum seeding rate was 215 seeds m -2 . Tillers at higher seeding rates had larger phyllochrons and greater mortalities. Low protein content was found in FA3 and high seeding rate treatments in 2005. Narrow row spacing is recommended for high spring wheat yield in the northern Great Plains. Th is yield increase cannot be achieved by increasing seeding rate at wide row spacing.

Seeding rate and cultivar effects on yield, yield components and grain quality of spring spelt in eastern Canada

“…In Washington State, USA, Schillinger (2005) found no effect of seeding rate on grain yield of wheat, oats and barley, with seeding rates of 120, 200 and 280 grains m (2 . In contrast, in semiarid regions, Chen et al (2008) observed an increase in wheat yield from 180 to 215 grains m (2 , which can be explained by insufficient water resources for plants to compensate for low populations. They did not find any subsequent yield increase from 215 to 430 grains m (2 .…”

Weed Management in Dry-Seeded Fine Rice under Varying Row Spacing in the Rice-Wheat System of Punjab, Pakistan

“…In modern agriculture, field crops, especially the cereals, are planted in distinct rows with variable row spacing and plant densities (Chen et al, 2008). Manipulation of crop row spacing and its orientation has been suggested as a mean to reduce light interception by weeds (Chauhan, 2012).…”

Planting System on Permanent Beds; A Conservation Agriculture Alternative for Crop Production in the Mexican Plateau

“…For example, Sweeney & Sisson (1988) reported 15 % wheat grain yield increases in a bed planting system compared to yield obtained in the 'flat' indicating that other factors such as rainfall patterns may be accounting for the differences between systems. The higher yield from beds can be attributed to greater resource utilization through the changes in row spacing and plant density configuration (Chen et al, 2008). It is well known that wheat plants in narrow-raised beds can compensate, within certain limits, for the lost cropping areas of the open furrows between beds.…”

“…In this case, variety Nahuatl F2000 was the most stable across environments probably due to its tillering ability. Yield components that determine wheat grain yield are heads per m 2 , heads per plant, kernels per head and kernel weight and there are compensatory relations among them in response to the changes of environmental conditions and agronomic practices, such as row spacing and seeding rate (Chen et al, 2008). Research work has shown a consistent relationship between grain yield and number of heads; the former increases as the latter improves (Zhang et al, 2007;Chen et al, 2008).…”