Identifying Spring Wheat Varieties that Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency

Dr. Kate Congreves, University of Saskatchewan

Start Date: December 15, 2019
End Date: March 1, 2023

AWC funding: $45,000

Summary:

Wheat is one of the most important crops in Canada, and  Saskatchewan represents over 50% of the national production area (StatsCan 2018). Of the 13 million acres of wheat seeded in Saskatchewan in 2018, spring wheat accounts for the largest share by far, with 7.8 million acres (StatsCan 2018). Thus, ensuring Saskatchewan’s competitiveness for spring wheat production remains a top priority. However, the wheat marketplace has become increasingly competitive (SaskWheat 2018, market outlook). To strategically edge past the competition, this means that local growers need to maintain yields by selecting high-yielding varieties; and/or implement management practices that improve economic returns, such as reducing inputs (and the costs associated with it) without negatively affecting yields.

Objectives:

1. Determine nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) capabilities for a range of historic and modern spring wheat cultivar 

2. Identify agronomic traits that contribute to enhancing NUE of spring wheat