(FCA-UNR, 2020) Pérez, Diego Hugo; Rotundo, José Luis; Orcellet, Juan Manuel
Available information regarding nitrogen foliar fertilization in wheat in Santa Fe
province in Argentina is limited. The aims of the present thesis were: 1) quantify the
response of grain yield to nitrogen fertilization based on environmental predictors such
as water availability and photothermal quotient, 2) to quantify the effect of nitrogen
fertilization on grain protein content as related to temperature and water availability
effects during grain filling and 3) to study the role of foliar applications on wheat
productivity and protein content. Data was obtained from fifteen N fertilization
experiments, conducted in 2015 and 2016 growing seasons. Treatments consisted on six
levels of applied N: 0, 40, 80, 120, 160 y 200 kg applied N ha -1 , each level with and
without foliar fertilization in pre-flowering stage. Data was analyzed using no-linear
mixed effect models. Yield increases with N fertilization were evident in most trials, but
the response depended on the specific site. Yield response was explained by soil N
availability at sowing and photothermal coefficient during September. Protein response
was explained by sowing date, organic matter and photothermal coefficient of
September.