Spring Nitrogen Management is Important for Triticale Forage Yield and Quality

Including triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) in forage rotations can provide economic and environmental benefits if optimally managed. We determined the impact of planting date, fall N availability, and spring N application on triticale dry matter (DM) forage yield and crude protein (CP) content. Three trials were conducted in New York from 2012 to 2014, each with two planting dates, five fall N rates (0, 34, 67, 101, 135 kg N ha(-1)), and five spring N rates (0, 34, 67, 101, 135 kg N ha(-1)) using a randomized complete block split-split-plot design in four replications. Plants were sampled for biomass in November before frost and harvested in May at flag-leaf stage. Across sites, a small amount of fall N (34 kg N ha(-1)) increased spring yield in the zero-N plots from 1.9 to 3.7 Mg DM ha(-1) when seeded by 20 September. For later seedings, fall N did not benefit yield (2.7 Mg DM ha(-1) average yield). Forage CP was 10.7% of DM when 135 kg N ha(-1) was fall-applied to sites planted by 20 September, versus 9.4% averaged across all other N rates and planting dates. While earlier planting increased spring yields, the most economic rate of N (MERN) and yield at the MERN in the spring were not impacted by fall N or planting date. Planting after 20 September increased CP at the MERN by about 1%. While fall management had some influence on spring performance, spring N management was most critical for achieving optimal yield and quality.