Effects of Organic Fertilizers and Urea when Applied to Spring Wheat

Abstract

Abstract Ecologically or organically produced wheat often has a protein content that is too low to be successfully used in modern bakeries. To increase the protein content in spring wheat, two organic fertilizers (slurry manure and meat bone meal) were compared with urea in field trials. Mycological analyses were performed to study whether any mould infection occurred. Protein content was increased by the organic fertilizers to a level about the same as given by the urea treatment. Slurry manure exhibited a lower effect per kg applied N than urea and meat bone meal. The results indicate that no consistent differences in endogenic mould infection were present between treatments. Meat bone meal can be used as a supplement at growth stage 30–31 to increase the protein content. Slurry manure has to be applied at high rates at sowing to get a pronounced effect on protein content and yield.