Reducing the reliance on nitrogen fertilizer for wheat production

All crops require nitrogen (N) for the production of a photosynthetically active canopy, whose functionality will strongly influence yield. Cereal crops also require N for storage proteins in the grain, an important quality attribute. Optimal efficiency is achieved by the controlled remobilization of canopy-N to the developing grain during crop maturation. Whilst N will always be required for crop production, targeting efficient capture and use will optimise consumption of this valuable macronutrient. Efficient management of N through agronomic practice and use of appropriate germplasm are essential for sustainability of agricultural production. Both the economic demands of agriculture and the need to avoid negative environmental impacts of N-pollutants, such as nitrate in water courses or release of N-containing greenhouse gases, are important drivers to seek the most efficient use of this critical agronomic input. New cultivars optimised for traits relating to N-use efficiency rather than yield alone will be required. Targets for genetic improvement involve maximising capture, partitioning and remobilization in the canopy and to the grain, and yield per se. Whilst there is existing genetic diversity amongst modern cultivars, substantial improvements may require exploitation of a wider germplasm pool, utilizing land races and ancestral germplasm.