How and why to use urea after wheat flowering

The quality of grain depends on the amount of protein and gluten it contains. Nitrogen has a positive effect on the production of these substances. If you saturate the soil with nitrogen compounds, the yield will improve and the amount of lodged grain will decrease. Urea is most often used as a fertilizer, and it is applied not only before sowing, but also after flowering.

We will describe in detail the rules for applying urea after wheat flowering in this article.

Why feed wheat after flowering?

If the soil lacks nutrients, the crop will produce few leaves and seeds.

If you saturate the plant with building material, the grain will be of high quality, and the crop will receive reliable protection from adverse environmental conditions and pests.

Why is urea good?

In the soil, nutrients are in a form that is difficult to access. Their norms during crop sowing are determined taking into account the planned harvest and soil condition.

Urea is a fairly mobile element. Its organic molecules are able to instantly pass through biological membranes, resulting in an accelerated absorption process. Within 2-3 days, urea becomes an integral part of vegetable protein.

Properties and influence of urea

For feeding wheat The most suitable is urea, which has a neutral reaction even at an increased dosage.

It is absorbed by the crop, activates the process of photosynthesis, and rarely causes negative changes in the form of leaf burn. Therefore, fertilizing wheat with urea after flowering is an important technological technique.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of feeding:

• granules instantly dissolve in water without forming sediment;
• the drug promotes rapid growth of vegetative mass;
• protein concentration in wheat grains increases, yield improves;
• Nitrates do not accumulate in the plant (if the dosage is observed).

When using urea, the metal elements of the sprayers are not subject to corrosion, since aqueous solutions of the fertilizer have a neutral reaction.

Disadvantages of urea:

• in the form of a solution, the temperature of urea is lower than the air temperature;
• cannot be mixed with alkaline preparations, wood ash, chalk, calcium nitrate;
• if the dosage is exceeded, there is a risk of leaf burn.

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Deadlines for depositing

Granular urea is added 5-7 days after flowering. Repeated feeding - after 3 weeks.

How to properly feed wheat with urea

Wheat is fed with nitrogen fertilizer by root and foliar methods.

Winter varieties

These varieties are demanding regarding the composition of the soil; high acidity is unacceptable for them. Carbamide is added for winter varieties in parts. This is the most effective method of increasing productivity, since in the autumn, urea “comes out” of the soil more actively.

Thanks to the fractional supply of nitrogen, the level of the drug is controlled in the root zone. This allows for increased tillering and the formation of a dense stem.

Attention! Take into account predecessors, after which roots and stems remained in the soil. After legumes, the concentration of nitrogen fertilizers is reduced.

When adding 30-60 kg of urea, the yield of winter crops will increase, but a significant increase in protein concentration in the grain will not be observed. Increasing the nitrogen dose to 100-120 kg/ha will allow protein to accumulate.

The concentration and method of applying urea are determined taking into account the composition of the soil in the region:

• clayey and loamy – the amount of carbide is reduced, since the movement of water in the soil is slow;
• sandy and sandy loam – fertilizing quickly goes to depth without lingering on the surface, so the volume is increased.

Fertilizer is applied to winter wheat according to a schedule: during flowering and in milky ripeness. Then the ear will be fully formed, and the number of grains will increase.

Urea is applied 3 times a year:

1. In a minimal quantity - in the fall before planting. An increased concentration of fertilizer will weaken the growing season and prevent the crop from surviving the winter.
2. In early spring before active growth begins.
3. Before the culture exits the tube.

Spring varieties

If nitrogen fertilizer was not applied to the soil in the autumn, this is done in early spring when planting a spring crop.

Since nitrogen is in unstable quantities in the soil, it is not worth adding it in high concentrations in the fall. The root system of spring varieties is not as developed as that of winter varieties. Before sowing summer varieties, a single large dosage of urea is required.It is irrational to use fertilizer in fractions, since the growing season of spring wheat is 2 times shorter and the crop consumes most of the nutrition before it emerges.

Reference. The presence of phosphorus preparations in the soil is important. Phosphorus strengthens the root system of spring wheat. If the root is poorly developed, the crop will not be able to absorb nitrogen and potassium, and the yield will decrease by a third.

Norm, dose of fertilizer

For foliar treatment of wheat, dilute 1 tbsp. l. urea in 10 liters of water. Spraying is carried out in the evening or early in the morning. It is important that the weather is not rainy.

When foliar feeding winter wheat, the application rate depends on the phase of crop development. During the flag leaf period, the concentration of urea in the solution should not exceed 10%. The dose of fertilizing with a ready-made solution for grains is 100-150 kg/ha.

Use of urea during sowing

Apply urea to the soil before sowing directly into the furrows. The fertilizer is sprinkled with a small layer of soil - in this case, the urea will not come into contact with the seed.

Reviews

Experienced farmers share their examples of using urea in wheat care.

Andrey, Krasnodar: “I have been using urea as a fertilizer for a long time, and not only for wheat. I apply it before sowing and after flowering. It works - my harvest has become not only high, but also of high quality. In addition, urea is an excellent means of preventing pests.”

Oleg, Kislovodsk: “I have been practicing this method of feeding winter wheat for a long time. The advantages are low cost, high efficiency and safety for plants. But in this case it is important not to exceed the dosage, otherwise the leaves can be burned - I had one such bitter experience.”

Conclusion

Urea is a necessary fertilizer for wheat. It is applied in moderate dosage before or during sowing, as well as after flowering. This increases the quality and quantity of the harvest, protects plants from the negative effects of the environment and pests.