As winter wheat has started to greenup, it is now time to finalize plans for topdress fertilizer applications so you are ready to apply once the soil is dry enough. Even though the acres of wheat are much lower than they once were, wheat still ranks as the fourth most planted crop following corn, soybean, and alfalfa in Saline, Jefferson, and Gage counties with over 8,000 acres harvested in 2019.
2019 Acres by Crop in Saline, Jefferson, and Gage Counties
- Corn = 454,5000 (USDA-NASS)
- Soybean = 382,900 (USDA-NASS
- Alfalfa = 17,230 (Satellite-Based)
- Wheat = 8,190 (USDA-NASS)
Nitrogen (N), sulfur (S) and chloride (Cl) are plant essential nutrients that wheat in southeast Nebraska may need to be fertilized with because the soil may not be able to provide a sufficient amount throughout the growing season.
For yield goals over 80 bushels/acre, I suggest a total of 90 to 120 lbs N/ac be applied for the growing season. Nitrogen management programs for winter wheat vary in the area, but include four potential times: Fall, early spring after greenup, mid-spring prior to jointing, and at flag leaf. The best two times for including both the sulfur and chloride fertilizer with the nitrogen are during fall and early spring after greenup.
Over the past decade, sulfur deficiency in wheat has become more common on no-till fine-textured soils in north-central and northeast Kansas along with southeast Nebraska. Many growers have noticed this and are already including sulfur on a regular basis. Because of the need for quickly available forms of sulfur, sulfate (dry) and thiosulfate (liquid) fertilizers are recommended for fall and early spring applications in wheat. I would suggest using application rates of 10 to 15 lbs S/acre as a starting point, and making future adjustments based on observations and tissue testing. This equates to 40 to 60 lbs of ammonium sulfate per acre or 3.5 to 5.2 gallons per acre of ammonium thiosulfate. Please remember to account for the nitrogen value in these fertilizers or pounds of N applied towards your total N goal.
Some good local articles to read on this topic
- Sulfur deficiency in Nuckolls County
- UNL to Study Possible Link Between Wheat Protein Levels and Fertilizer
- May 3, 2019 Eastern Nebraska Winter Wheat Update – Sulfur deficiency
Chloride fertilizer application is something that you may benefit from. Recent analysis in Kansas, by K-State’s Soil Fertility Extension Specialist, Dorivar Ruiz Diaz, performed across multiple years and locations suggest an average yield response of 8% to chloride fertilization. Additional chloride uptake in wheat has been shown to suppress several wheat diseases including take-all root rot, stripe and leaf rust, and Septoria. Research has shown equal performance from both fall and spring topdress fertilizer applications. Utilizing K-State soil test recommendations, I have found that numerous wheat fields in east-central Nebraska where determined to be low in soil test chloride. As a result, I recommended to those producers to apply 20 lbs Cl/acre that equates to 44 lbs of potash fertilizer per acre be applied with their spring topdress application of nitrogen.
Learn more about Chloride Research at K-State
In summary, though not as frightening as lions and tigers and bears, we do need to evaluate our nutrient management plans for winter wheat with nitrogen and sulfur and chloride in mind. To learn more about winter wheat management in eastern Nebraska, contact me (, 402-821-2151, https://croptechcafe.org/winterwheat/) to subscribe to my weekly email called “What’s up this Wheat?” that provides weekly highlights and resources. Know your crop, know you tech, know your bottom line.
