Growers of top quality wheat are being urged to think about making use of a variety of crop vitamins on the essential flag leaf stage, as bonuses as much as £20/t are being supplied for milling wheat with a protein content material of 13% or extra.
With wheat costs at the moment sitting at £200/t, FMC business technical supervisor Geoffrey Bastard defined that an additional £160/ha might be achieved, for an 8t crop of milling wheat if protein specs are met.
“Boosting grain protein ranges is all about appropriate vitamin,” stated Geoffrey.
This is very vital when rising group one milling wheats corresponding to Crusoe, as they’ve better potential to fulfill these specs however are sometimes extra vulnerable to ailments, which implies they will profit from additional assist.”
Although nitrogen is broadly recognised as the important thing driver behind elevated protein ranges, different vitamins, corresponding to magnesium and sulphur, are equally vital.
‘Quite a lot of dietary parts’
“Applying quite a lot of dietary parts at T2 shall be elementary to reaching the bonuses on provide,” defined Geoffrey.
“Magnesium is crucial for the transport of nitrogen. If magnesium ranges are low, nitrogen will stay within the leaves and stems, and received’t be transported to the grain the place it’s wanted to extend protein and amino acids.
“Magnesium additionally helps prolong the grain fill interval, so making certain enough availability within the plant units the groundwork for optimum nitrogen use effectivity,” he stated.
Likewise, sulphur additionally performs an vital function in boosting grain protein, because it aids nitrogen uptake and will increase flour high quality.
“This is very vital in the event you’re exporting your grain as flour high quality is commonly rigorously checked through a Chopin alveograph take a look at,” Geoffrey concluded.
While magnesium is routinely utilized to wheat on the flag leaf stage, sulphur also needs to be utilized between flowering and grain milk growth to realize the very best protein content material attainable.
