TITLE:
Nitrogen fertilization effects on grain quality of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) varieties in central Ethiopia
AUTHORS:
Leta Gerba, Belay Getachew, Worku Walelign
KEYWORDS:
Gluten Content; N-Fertilization; Protein Content; Thousand Kernel Weight; Test Weight; Vitreous Kernel Count
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.4 No.3,
March
22,
2013
ABSTRACT: Four released durum wheat
varieties, two medium tall (Arsi-Robe and Kilinto) and two recently
released semidwarfs (Ude and Yerer) were evaluated under five different N
rates (0, 60, 120, 180 and 240 kg·ha-1) in 2005/06 growing season at
Akaki and Debre Zeit, central Ethiopia. The quality responses of durum wheat
varieties to different N-fertilizer rates and the N responses between tall and
short durum wheat varieties were assessed. Protein and gluten content, vitreous
kernel count, thousand kernel weight, test weight and lodging were considered.
Vitreous kernel count, protein and gluten content were higher at Debre Zeit
than at Akaki. Unlike Debre Zeit, there were
significant relationships between response variables and fertilizer levels
at Akaki. Lodging slightly affected the medium tall varieties at Debre Zeit
whereas it was not a problem at Akaki. At Akaki, varieties response to each
additional N rate was entirely below the quality standard set by ICC, 2000
except for thousandkernel weight. Therefore, it is unwise to promote durum
wheat scaling up/out program for quality production at Akaki.