Two winter wheat varieties (Yangmai 11 and Yangmai 13) were used to investigate the impacts of nitrogen (N) application levels (0,150,300 kg/hm) on the main mineral concentrations in wheat grain, leaves and stalk in the Danyang city, Jiangsu province. The results showed that the concentrations of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and Ca increased with the increasing rate of N application in winter wheat grain, stalk, leaves, flour and bran, while P concentrations decreased. Comparing with the non fertilization control, when N application rate reached 300 kg/hm , the concentrations of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and Ca in the grain of Yangmai11 significantly increased by 11.74%, 32.20%, 31.78%, 66.87% and 53.75%, while P concentration significantly decreased by 23.06%. At the same N rate, the concentrations of Zn, Cu and Ca in the stalk of Yangmai11 significantly increased by 106.34%, 136.97% and 51.15%, but P concentration significantly decreased by 46.46%. The concentrations of Zn, Cu and Ca in the grain of Yangmai13 significantly increased by 33.03%, 59.67% and 56.63%, however, the concentrations of Mg and P significantly decreased by 14.10% and 25.41%. The concentrations of Mn, Cu, Ca and Mg in the leaves of Yangmai13 significantly increased by 174.54%, 27.15%, 41.66% and 29.95%, respectively. There were different impacts of nitrogen application rates on mineral concentrations in winter wheat above ground tissues between the two varieties. Under the present experimental conditions, our results demonstrate that N application can increase the trace mineral concentrations of winter wheat grain. However, over use of N fertilizer may decrease grain quality through decreasing other mineral concentrations in winter wheat grain. |