Nitrogen may enhance wheat grain quality even when wheat yield is not increased. • Nitrogen rate and placement had greater effect on grain protein than wheat yield. • Side-banding N resulted in higher grain protein than broadcasting. • Residue management had no effect on wheat production. ABSTRACT This article summarizes the results from a 1-yr field experiment conducted at two locations in northcentral Montana. Nutrient and residue management are important aspects of dryland no-till cropping

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... stems that directly affect wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. The objectives were to assess N response of hard red spring wheat grown in dryland no-till conditions under varied crop residue management. The effects of N application rate (0, 135, and 270 kg N ha -1 ) and placement (broadcast vs. side-banded) and residue management (undisturbed vs. removed) on biomass weight and N content, Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI), grain yield, grain test weight, and protein content of hard red spring wheat were evaluated. At one of two locations, the 135 kg N ha -1 rate resulted in significantly higher yield, compared with unfertilized check, but further increase of N rate to 270 kg N ha -1 did not improve yield. There was no response of grain yield to N application rate at the second location. At one of two locations, the side-dress N application resulted in higher wheat yield, but no statistically significant differences in yield associated with N placement was observed at the second location. Biomass N content and grain protein content were significantly affected by the N application rate at both locations. The results of this study confirm that even if wheat grain yields are not always increased with N applications, N fertilizer could still be beneficial in terms of improved grain quality (test weight and protein content).