Objective:                  

To determine optimal nitrogen input levels for malt barley lines in Montana

Personnel:                 

Clint Beiermann,Jamie Sherman, Kent McVay, Jessica Pavelka               

Summary:

Five varieties of malt barley were planted on May 14th, 2021 at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center. They were managed under rainfed conditions, and harvested on September 9th, 2021 (Table 1).

Four nitrogen rates were evaluated 108, 120, 180, and 240 lb/A in combination with five varieties of malt barley. There was not a significant effect of nitrogen rate on yield. Yields ranged from 41.1 bu/A to 45.8 bu/A across varying nitrogen treatments (Table 2). Nitrogen rate had a significant effect on grain protein. The nitrogen rates of 180 and 240 lbs/A had higher protein levels of 13.4 and 13.7%, respectively (Table 2). All barley varieties exhibited an increase in grain protein with increasing nitrogen levels (Figure 1). Buzz and MT16M02201 performed similarly in protein level response to increasing nitrogen and had the lowest protein levels across the four nitrogen treatments, which is a desirable trait in malt barley (Figure 1).        

Barley variety had a significant effect on yield, test weight, and grain protein. The highest yielding variety across nitrogen levels was Buzz at 51.8 bu/A followed by MT16M02201 at 44.8 bu/A (Table 3). The highest test weights were 48.5 lb/bu from Hockett, 48.3 lb/bu for Buzz, and 47.9 lb/bu for MT16M05610. The highest grain protein was 13.8% from both MT16M05610 and Hockett. The lowest average protein was 12.6% for Buzz and 12.7% for MT16M02201 (Table 3).

 

Table 1. Management information
Seeding date: 5/14/2021 Field Location: Western Triangle
Julian date: 135 Harvest date: 9/9/2021
Seeding rate: Dependent on Variety Julian date: 252
Previous crop: Fallow Soil type: Clay loam
Herbicide: Axial Bold / CleansweepM 5/6/2021 Tillage: No-till
Insecticide: None Soil residual N (lbs/A) 108
Fungicide: None N rates applied (lbs/A) 120, 180, 240

 

Table 2. Agronomic performance based on nitrogen rate applied
N Rate Yield Test Weight Protein
lb N/A (bu/A) (lb/bu) (%)
108 43.8 43.8 12.9
120 44.2 44.2 12.9
180 45.8 45.8 13.4
240 41.1 41.1 13.7
LSD (0.05) NA NA 0.32
Bolding denotes equal value to highest or earliest value within a column based on LSD (α=0.05)

 

Table 3. Agronomic performance of the varieties
Variety/Line Yield Test Weight Protein
  (bu/A) (lb/bu) (%)
Buzz 51.8 48.3 12.6
MT16M01902 42.6 45.7 13.2
MT16M02201 44.8 46.7 12.7
MT16M05610 35.8 47.9 13.8
Hockett 43.7 48.5 13.8
LSD (.05) 7.33 1.06 0.35
Bolding denotes equal value to highest or earliest value within a column based on LSD (α=0.05)

 

 

Line graph showing the protein response by variety across nitrogen levels

Figure 1 

Protein response by variety across nitrogen levels