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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #379451
Research Project: Improving Management Practices for Irrigated Western Cropping and Dairy Systems to Contribute to Sustainability and Improve Air Quality

Location: Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research

Title: Fertilizer nitrogen recovery of irrigated spring malt barley

Author
item Rogers, Christopher
item LOOMIS, G - University Of Idaho

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/11/2020
Publication Date: 3/5/2021
Citation: Rogers, C.W., Loomis, G. 2021. Fertilizer nitrogen recovery of irrigated spring malt barley. Agronomy Journal. 113(2):2018-2028. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20576.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20576

Interpretive Summary: Fertilizer nitrogen management in malting barley is important for yield, quality, and to protect the environment. Information on fertilizer nitrogen recovery by the plant is lacking in irrigated production common in the western United States. Three barley varieties were used at a common nitrogen rate using a “tracer,” which is a form of nitrogen that can be used to separate nitrogen taken from the soil and that from the fertilizer. Additionally, the remaining fertilizer nitrogen in the soil can be determined using the tracer. Total soil and plant fertilizer recovery was 77% of that applied or alternately 23% of the applied fertilizer could not be accounted for indicating it was lost to the environment. These results indicate a high percentage recovery in the soil plant system as compared to other crops and to barley grown in other regions and systems globally.

Technical Abstract: Well defined nitrogen (N) management in irrigated two-row malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is critical for yield, quality, and to minimize negative environmental impacts. Data on fertilizer N recovery efficiency (FNRE) and the fate of fertilizer-N in the soil is lacking for irrigated malting barley. The objective of this study was to determine uptake and partitioning of 15N labeled urea in the plant and soil. Mimicking common regional practices, urea was either surface applied or incorporated at a total N rate of 214 kg N ha-1 at planting. Three common malt cultivars were grown, and samples were collected four times during the growing season (Feekes growth stages 4/5, 10.0, 11.2, and 11.4). Barley plants at Feekes 11.2 and 11.4 were separated into plant (culms plus leaves) and spikes. Plant N accumulation was lowest at Feekes 4/5 and increased to a maximum at Feekes 11.2 where FNRE was greatest at Feekes 10.0. Nitrogen was redistributed from the plant to the spike from Feekes 11.2 to 11.4. The barley plant FNRE averaged 43% at maturity. The total soil-plant FNRE for the surface application was 66%, which was less than the incorporated fertilizer FNRE of 77%. Results from the current study provide evidence of the increased FNRE of incorporated applications in high-input barley production systems as well as similar recovery efficiency as compared to previous work under higher-yielding conditions. Results can be used to refine growing practices to ensure agronomically and environmentally sound management.