{"id":2147,"date":"2024-01-15T21:36:47","date_gmt":"2024-01-16T05:36:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/?p=2147"},"modified":"2024-01-15T21:36:47","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T05:36:47","slug":"nitrogen-fertilizer-management-tools-for-california-wheat-growers-increase-yield-decrease-fertilizer-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/FREP\/index.php\/nitrogen-fertilizer-management-tools-for-california-wheat-growers-increase-yield-decrease-fertilizer-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Tools for California Wheat Growers Increase Yield, Decrease Fertilizer Costs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Note: This is part of a Research Update series that highlights projects funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture\u2019s (CDFA) <\/em>Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) annual grant program<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project Title: <\/strong>Achieving Efficient Nitrogen Fertilizer Management in California Wheat<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project Leader: <\/strong>Mark Lundy, Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist, University of California, Davis<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project Status: <\/strong>Completed 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project Locations: <\/strong>The project team conducted on-farm demonstrations in the Sacramento Valley, the San Joaquin Valley, the Delta region, and the Intermountain region of Northern California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Caption: Photos from a project field day demonstrating the benefits of using nitrogen rich reference zones and plant and soil measurements to guide nitrogen management decisions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overview<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wheat and other small grains are grown in diverse agricultural environments throughout California. Approximately 90% of the wheat, triticale, and barley in California is fall-sown and relies to some degree on precipitation that varies dramatically across the state. These conditions make efficient nitrogen (N) fertilizer management difficult because the right rate varies from field-to-field and year-to-year. Therefore, the goal of this project was to demonstrate and enable new ways of achieving best N management practices in California wheat and related winter cereals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This project demonstrated that California wheat growers can effectively increase crop productivity and save N fertilizer by using:<\/p>\n\n\n\n