The effect of nitrogen fertiliser on grain growth in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) : a dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the post-graduate Diploma in Agricultural Science in the University of Canterbury

Abstract

To investigate the effect of nitrogen fertiliser on grain growth characteristics and the underlying mechanism of its effect on grain growth in wheat, a field experiment with two winter cultivars, Rongotea and Oroua, was carried out as a randomised block design with three replicates. Nitrogen treatments were given 112 kg N ha⁻¹ at growth stage 2.5 for early N treatment and 50 kg N ha⁻¹ just before anthesis for late N treatment. A factorial design with two cultivars and four nitrogen treatments (Control, Early N, Late N and Early N + Late N) was used for the analysis of variance. Grain growth characteristics as influenced by nitrogen treatments were tested in conjunction with plant growth characteristics and yield components.