Giuliano Mosca

Understanding the effects of site-specific fertilization on yield and protein content in durum wheat

Field spatial distribution of yield and protein content, and their interactions with soil and nitrogen (N) fertilisation were studied in an experiment on durum wheat in NE Italy. Using real-time sensors on a combine harvester, it was possible to investigate differences induced by late N foliar spray and nitrogen variable rate applications, and to verify the feasibility of implementing precision harvesting (i.e. harvesting different zones individually to increase grain quality). N fertilisation was ineffective on crop yield since water stress in the last part of the cycle hindered crop growth but had a significant effect on grain protein content. The marked spatial variability observed in the field suggests that site-specific harvesting could be a viable technique to increase wheat quality in the future.