Chloride by Variety Interactions in Spring Wheat
Chloride is known to suppress several wheat diseases or increase the ability of wheat to withstand infection. Wheat response to chloride fertilizer has been variable, because response depends upon many factors, including soil chloride levels, pH, plant tissue levels, and variety.
IPNI-1996-USA-ND9
01 Mar 1998
1997 Annual Interpretive Summary
Chloride by Variety Interactions in Spring Wheat, 1997
Chloride (Cl) is known to suppress several wheat diseases or increase the ability of wheat to withstand infection. Wheat response to chloride fertilizer has been variable, because response depends upon many factors, including soil chloride levels, pH, plant tissue levels, and variety. The goal of this study was to evaluate historic, widely accepted, and future varieties for their responses to chloride at two sites in North Dakota. The studies, now in their second year, were located near Fargo and Dickinson, ND. Each study included 13 hard red spring wheat and 2 durum wheat varieties. The Cl rates were 0 and 40 lbs/A. At both sites, chloride treatments advanced the maturity of the crop, as evidenced by a 1-2 day advancement of heading date. Tissue samples were taken at the late boot stage and analyzed for Cl and K. Cl levels in the 0 lb Cl/A plots were, in general, higher than predicted for the initial soil Cl levels. Yields, overall, were not influenced by Cl at the Fargo site. Yield responses ranged from +2.8 bu/A to -2.3 bu/A. During both years of the study at the Fargo site, the variety known to respond to Cl (Marshall) did give a positive response to Cl, while the variety known not to respond to Cl (Guard) either gave no response or a negative response. The Fargo site had a moderate level of head scab. Dramatic differences in disease ratings were observed by variety, but unfortunately, Cl fertilization had little or no effect on head scab. At Dickinson, yields of all varieties tended to be lower with potassium chloride fertilization. There is currently no explanation for this. For both years of the study, kernel weights were almost always increased with Cl fertilization. ND-09F