Targeting Input Responses and Returns on Intensively-Managed Soft Red Winter Wheat.

Consecutive years of record wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yields (5.45 Mg ha^-1 and 5.99 Mg ha^-1 in 2015 and 2016, respectively), environmental variability, and continued demand from Michigan’s milling and cereal industry have increased interest in intensively-managed (i.e. multiple-input) soft red winter wheat production systems. Previous research has documented wheat grain yield response to individual inputs, yet few studies have investigated yield response to both single and multiple-input management systems. The objective of this study was to investigate the grain yield and economic profitability of several agronomic inputs across intensive (i.e., multiple-input) and traditional (i.e., individual-input) production systems. A two-year omission field trial was established in Lansing, MI and evaluated the following inputs: two nitrogen (N) rates (100.9 kg ha^-1 and 121.1 kg ha^-1), urease inhibitor, nitrification inhibitor, fungicide, plant growth regulator, and foliar micronutrients. Addition of the fungicide to the traditional production system resulted in a significant yield increase of 0.72 Mg ha^-1. Positive yield response was influenced by significant stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) disease pressure present in 2016. Due to a lack of early season N loss conditions, plant lodging, or micronutrient deficiencies, wheat grain yield was not significantly affected by additional N fertilizer, urease inhibitor, nitrification inhibitor, fungicide, plant growth regulator, or foliar micronutrients. Absence of Fusarium infection resulted in no grain deoxynivalenol (DON) concentration responses across inputs. Preliminary results suggest that without the presence of adverse environmental conditions, insurance applications of these products did not improve yield potential or grain quality.