Around 10 years ago, I was speaking at an event in Montana, and a farmer mentioned that in Montana it took more than 3 pounds of nitrogen per bushel to achieve 14% protein.
So, I asked him to clarify that statement…

To get to the core of the issue, i asked three questions:

  • Was it 3 pounds of applied nitrogen per bushel?
  • Was it 3 pounds of a nitrogen product (like Urea or Ammonium Sulfate, etc.) per bushel?
  • OR WAS IT 3 pounds of nitrogen total combined from applications, leftover N from a previous crop, and mineralization of organic matter throughout the season?

These questions brought a look of confusion to his face, which highlights the big challenge when talking crop nutrition – we don’t always speak the same language, and translating can be difficult.

The goal of this article is to establish a clear framework for you to make crop nutrition decisions that result in high-yielding, high-protein wheat.