Determination of wheat nitrogen status with a hand‐held chlorophyll meter: Influence of management practices 1

Abstract The nitrogen (N) status of wheat at specific growth stages has potential in predicting yield goals and supplemental N fertilizer requirements but there is a need for a simple and reliable method for field determination of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) N status under different management schemes. This field study was conducted for two seasons (1989–90 and 1990–91) on a Norfolk sl (fine‐loamy, siliceous thermic Typic Kandiudults) in east‐central Alabama. Treatment variables were tillage, fungicide and N rate. Tillage treatments were disk/harrow or paraplow. Fungicide treatments were no fungicide or propiconazole (Tilt®) applied at Feekes growth stage (GS) 8. Nitrogen rates were a 0‐N control and 45, 90, 134, or 179 kg N/ha applied in a two‐way split with 22.5 kg N/ha applied at planting and the remainder applied in mid‐February. Whole plant samples at GS 3 and 5, and flag leaf samples at GS 10.51 were analyzed for N; a hand‐held meter was used to measure chlorophyll concentrations at these sampling ...