Wheat Fertilization Timing and Methods: Is Once a Year Enough?

SummaryBase fertilizer: apply 3 tonnes of organic fertilizer per mu, plus 40kg of superphosphate, 10kg of urea, and 7.5-10kg of potassium chloride. Seed fertilizer and seedling fertilizer: seed fertilizer is 2.5kg of urea, seedling fertilizer is 5kg of urea. Jointing and booting fertilizer: for wheat fields whose leaf color has faded and turned yellow, 3-5kg of urea can be applied per mu; when the first internode has reached its fixed length and the second internode is elongating rapidly, top-dress another 3kg of urea per mu.

I. Base fertilizer

Generally, base fertilizer should account for 60%-70% of the total fertilizer applied. Apply about 3 tonnes of organic fertilizer per mu, plus 40kg of superphosphate, 10kg of urea, and 7.5-10kg of potassium chloride; alternatively, organic fertilizer can be combined with 20kg of 45% compound fertilizer and applied together into the soil as base fertilizer.

II. Seed fertilizer and seedling fertilizer

1. Generally, when sowing wheat, an appropriate amount of chemical fertilizer can be applied as seed fertilizer, which helps promote wheat rooting and seedling development and earlier tillering. This is especially effective for late-sown wheat or wheat with insufficient base fertilizer. Usually, urea used as seed fertilizer should be less than 2.5kg per mu. In addition to seed fertilizer, applying seedling fertilizer early, that is, tillering fertilizer, is also a good measure to promote rooting and increase tillering as well as effective tillers.

2. It is recommended to apply seedling fertilizer at the 3-leaf stage, using about 5kg of urea per mu. Base fertilizer needs to be sufficient; apply less where the population is large, and more where the seedlings are weak. Generally, in northern wheat regions, after winter when wheat enters the green-up stage, in order to consolidate pre-winter tillering and promote post-winter tillering, apply 1 green-up fertilizer early.

3. Green-up fertilizer should mainly be quick-acting fertilizer. Generally, use 10kg of superphosphate and 10-15kg of ammonium sulfate per mu. If early fertilizer is sufficient and the wheat seedlings are growing vigorously, green-up fertilizer may be omitted, especially in the south, where the number of fertilizer applications needs to be determined according to seedling conditions.

III. Jointing and booting fertilizer

1. The jointing and booting stage of wheat is a relatively vigorous period in the entire growth process, and nutrient demand is high at this time. If fertilizer is lacking, wheat will prematurely senesce, but applying too much fertilizer will also cause excessive vegetative growth, which is unfavorable for young ear differentiation and development. Therefore, jointing and booting fertilizer needs to be applied skillfully according to the seedlings.

2. For weak seedlings, that is, where the population is relatively small, the total number of stems and tillers per mu is less than about 300,000, and the leaf color has faded and turned yellow, jointing fertilizer should be applied early. This helps increase the number of tillers that form ears and strive for more ears and large ears. Apply 3-5kg of urea per mu, diluted with water and poured on.

3. For healthy and vigorous wheat seedlings, because the population is suitable and the number of ears is assured, the main goal should be large ears. Fertilizer and water can be appropriately controlled at the jointing stage to promote thick basal internodes and avoid lodging. Wait until the leaf color naturally fades, the first internode has reached its fixed length, and the second internode is elongating rapidly, then top-dress another 3kg of urea per mu. For excessively vigorous seedlings with an overly large population and leaf area and dark green leaves, fertilizer and water need to be controlled, with deep intertillage to damage roots and suppress tillering; no top-dressing is needed.