Extension Leaflet 365
October,   1953
Suggestions for Improving Soft Red Winter Wheat in the Pocket Area
PUBLISHED BY PURDUE UNIVERSITY AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE
Material prepared by H R. Lathrope, Extension Agronomist, and Dr. A. J. Ohlrogge, Research   Agron-
omist, Agronomy Department,  Purdue  University.
This material has been prepared especially for
the Pocket Area but may be applicable to other
sections of Indiana where similar conditions exist.
Wheat responds well to fertilizers. Probably 90
percent of the wheat fields in the Pocket Area
would suffer severely from lack of plant food if
none were added to the soil for each year's crop.
A 60-bushel per acre wheat crop removes in the
grain and straw approximately 100 pounds of nitrogen (N), 40 pounds of phosphate (P20B) and 60
pounds of potash (K,0) from the soil.
Since the wheat plant is not 100 percent efficient
in extracting plant food from the soil it becomes
necessary to supply more plant food to the soil than
each crop removes. The wheat plant is about 75
percent efficient in its uptake of nitrogen, 20 percent
efficient in its uptake of phosphate and about 40
percent efficient in its uptake of potash.
To arrive at the exact or even approximate
amount of plant food or fertilizers to be added for
the maximum results depends on how much plant
food there is available in the soil. Soil tests are
the best means of accurately determining the pH
(degree of soil acidity) and the approximate
amounts of available phosphate and potash in the
soil which is extractable by plants. Tissue tests
provide excellent diagnostic information on the
growing plants. Many farmers observe the condition of their corn fields in order to determine
whether their soils lack nitrogen, phosphate or
potash. Deficiency symptoms are more easily seen
in corn than in wheat.
VARIETY AND FERTILIZER TESTS
Chas. Schenk Farm—Vincennes, Indiana, 1951-52
Wheat followed 100-bushel corn. Corn stalks were
cut and disced. Soil test indicated a pH of 6.6,
available phosphate high, L60 pounds; available potash, very low, 80 pounds. Plots were randomized
and seeded in four replications.
Wheat was seeded in 1 100 acre plots, Oct. 10,
L951, with a grain drill at the rate of 6 pecks per
acre Fertilizer was applied (in advance of seeding)
a| the rate of 500 pounds of 5-20-20 (25-100-100) at
seeding time. Fertilized drill widths of wheat were
topdressed March 11, 1952, with 4:. pounds of
actual N. per acre. Liquid nitrogen (32%) was
used and applied with a weed sprayer mounted on
a jeep. One half the cost of the 25-100-100 or $9.37
was charged to the wheal crop, and the entire cost
of the nitrogen, or 45 @ 15c per pound, $6.75
total, $16.12 per acre. Wheat valued at $2.25 per
bushel.
In studying these yields and tests it should be
kept in mind that they show what results were
obtained on this field during the 1951-1952 season.
It is difficult to find two fields on the same farm
which will yield exactly the same.
Variety or
Strain
n
212
(lb. 1
(Ib.l
(lb.)
($)
($)
34
19
15
17 63
35 38
Aver, of named
varieties includ
ing Vigo, Seneca,
Saline, Butler,
Royal    	
43
23
20
28.88
55.63
Aver,   of six
Expt. Strains ....
46
25
21
31.13
62.38
44
24
20
28.88
57.88
*Value of  Fertilized  Wheat Less Fertiliser cost of
$16.12 and Less Production Costs of $25.00 per acre.
Plowed under stubble—Buried Treasure.
Many wheat farmers in the past burned straw and
stubble because if plowed under yields the following
year were depressed. They did not have nitrogen
to plow under with it and help rot the plant residues.
Today we know why plowed-down stubble depressed
yields. With this knowledge, we ean turn erop
residues into unburied treasure. The explanation
is to be found in the life processes of the bacteria
that live in the soil.  Beneficial soil bacteria produce
humus  from organic matter containing nitrogen
which    is   released    and    made   available   to   crops.
Nitrogen is one of the three plant food elements
necessary for crop production.
Bacteria produce humus by decomposing crop
residues Such as wheat stubble, corn stalks and
roots which contain about 40 percent carbon. To do
this, soil bacteria  themselves must be well supplied
with nitrogen and lime, These bacteria require a
certain proportion of nitrogen to the amounl of
carbonaceous material which they are to decompose.