Impact of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Chloride Fertilizer Management on the Growth and Yield of Oats
Develop fertilizer management strategies which optimize fertilizer use efficiency for oats in the eastern sub-humid Prairie.
IPNI-2000-CAN-MB12
18 Feb 2003
2002 Annual Interpretive Summary
Impact of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Chloride Fertilizer Management on the Growth and Yield of Oats, 2002
Oats grown for the milling and livestock feed markets have become a profitable crop diversification option for farmers in western Canada. Approximately 4 million acres of oats are currently grown, with acreage continually expanding. However, there is limited research available on fertilizer management. The objectives of this research are to determine the effect of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium chloride (KCl) on the growth, yield, and quality and to determine the impact of varying combinations of N, P, and KCl on growth, yield, and quality of oats.
In the final year of this study, preliminary analysis of yield data showed positive effects of N and of P on crop biomass and grain yield at both of the field sites, but no significant effect of KCl on either biomass or grain yield. No interactions among nutrients were evident for these yield parameters. Nitrogen application increased crop biomass yield at tillering and at heading, with yields typically levelling off at higher N rates. At one of the two sites, the highest N rate appeared to reduce biomass yield at tillering, suggesting that dry soil conditions early in the season together with the high fertilizer N rate applied may have resulted in conditions that caused some seedling damage. Preliminary analysis indicates that optimum grain yields were achieved with N applications of 35 to 70 lb N/A. Phosphorus application resulted in an overall increase in plant biomass at tillering and at heading at both sites in 2002. In contrast to previous years, P application also significantly increased grain yield at both sites. Cold, dry soil conditions early in the growing season may have contributed to the observed P responses in 2002. In 2002, KCl had no impact on oat yields. MB-12F