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Effect of Foliar-applied Monopotassium Phosphate on High Yield Canola and Wheat Grown in Southern Manitoba

Assess foliar application of mono potassium phosphate (MKP) to enhance phosphorus nutrition of wheat.

IPNI-2001-CAN-MB15

Overview Related Article
10 Apr 2001

Methodology

    The research program consists of two experiments over two years, as follows. All treatments will be replicated five times. Appropriate rates and methods of MKP application for the experiments would be determined in consultation with Agrium; however, a rate of approximately 5 lbs of MKP per acre with 20 gallons of water per acre is proposed, in order to apply a rate that approximates that which has been used for supplemental P nutrition, disease reduction and stress tolerance in other experiments.

    Experiment 1 - Effect of MKP Application on Nutrition, Disease Suppression and Stress Tolerance in Canola - Canola will be grown on two sites in southern Manitoba. Foliar MKP will be applied at four times during the growing season (two early and two during the mid to late growing season). Two other reference salt/nutrient solutions (e.g., KNO3 and NH4NO3) would be applied at the same time as the MKP treatments. All salt treatments will be applied onto two phosphate fertility treatments: one where no P is applied at seeding and one where sufficient P is applied at seeding. Measurements would include grain yield; concentrations of N, P, and K at various stages during the growing season; disease ratings; and physiological stress (e.g., leaf color and/or turgor pressure, etc.).

    Experiment 2 - Effect of MKP Application on Nutrition and Stress Tolerance in Spring Wheat -This experiment will focus on the P nutrition and stress tolerance effects of MKP at two P-deficient sites in southern Manitoba. Spring wheat will be grown in order to link the results of this experiment to previous work in Manitoba that showed wheat responded positively to Foliar Pride where P status of the soil and plant were low. One set of proposed treatments would include zero MKP, MKP applied very early (e.g., 3-5 leaf stage for wheat), and MKP applied moderately early (e.g., 5-6 leaf stage for wheat) to a crop where a low, marginal or sufficient rate of P was side-banded with the seed. Another set of treatments would allow for comparison of the effect of MKP to other reference salt/nutrient solutions (e.g., MKP, KNO3 and NH4NO3) applied at each of the two application times mentioned for the previous set of experiments. Core measurements would include grain yield and tissue concentrations of N, P, and K at various stages during the growing season. In addition, the crop would be evaluated for disease and stress.