HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bulman, P. Articles by Smith, D. L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Bulman, P. Articles by Smith, D. L. Agricola Articles by Bulman, P. Articles by Smith, D. L.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Affects Amino Acid Composition and Quality of Spring Barley Grain

Dep. of Plant Science, Univ., of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2
Dep. of Plant Science, McGill Univ., Macdonald Campus, 21111 Lakeshore Rd., Ste.-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada H9X 3V9
Plant Breeding and Management Program, Plant Research Centre, Central Experimental Farm, Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 1C5

^* Corresponding author (ac10{at}musica.mcgill.ca)).

High N rates used to raise yields and the grain protein concentration (GPC) of cereal crops may lower the nutritional value of the grain by reducing the proportion of essential amino acids in the grain protein. Since spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is an important feed grain for monogastric animals in eastern Canada, a 2-yr field experiment was conducted to determine N fertilization effects on the amino acid composition of the grain protein. Two cultivars, Leger (adapted feed type) and Argyle (unadapted malting type) were grown with four fertilizer treatments. The four fertilizer treatments were 0 or 100 kg N ha^–1 applied as ammonium nitrate at seeding, or with 100 kg N ha^–1 at seeding plus 50 kg N ha^–1 applied at awn emergence as broadcast ammonium nitrate (not included in 1988) or foliar-applied urea. Amino acid analyses were conducted by ion exchange chromatography. Nitrogen treatments increased protein per grain in both years, but increased GPC in 1988 only. In 1987, N treatments decreased the proportion of lysine in the grain protein but did not affect other amino acids. In 1988, increased N rates reduced the proportion of aspartic acid, threonine, glycine, lysine, and arginine but increased the proportion of glutamic acid and proline in grain protein. Higher N rates reduced the proportion of cyst(e)ine in grain protein in Leger only. Cultivar differences in amino acid composition were inconsistent between years. Higher rates of N fertilizer increased protein per grain and GPC but lowered the nutritional value of barley grain.

Received for publication June 15, 1993.