Agronomy Journal • Volume 108, Issue 2 • 2016 615 S oil fertility is a fundamental attribute of agricultural lands because it is directly related to crop productivity and product quality and consequently to the proftability of farming systems. Although soil fertility is a composite function of several soil properties (i.e., biological, chemical, and physical), it can be efciently managed by applying the appropriate cultural practices. Manure application has been one of the traditional ways to manage soil fertility before the widespread use of inor- ganic fertilizers. Numerous studies have shown that manure application to agricultural lands can increase the available soil macro- and micronutrients and their concentrations in plant tissues (Tran and N’Dayegamiye, 1995; Nikoli and Matsi, 2011; Goss et al., 2013), improve soil physical and chemical properties (Eghball, 2002; Butler and Muir, 2006), and stimulate microbial and faunal activity, especially that of earthworms (Jensen, 2013). In addition, manure application may be benefcial, especially for soils with low organic matter (Binder et al., 2002), such as those of the Mediterranean region. However, the efect of manure on soil properties and crop performance is ofen variable, depending on diferent parameters related to the crop (e.g., plant species, cultural practices, etc.), the manure (e.g., type and composition, application method and rate, etc.), and the environment (e.g., moisture and temperature; Jackson and Smith, 1997; Leiros et al., 1999; Barzegar et al., 2002; Tomsen, 2005; Jensen, 2013). Conversely, improper use of manure can have negative impacts on the environment, such as an increased concentration of trace metals in the soil (Ju et al., 2007), ammonia emission, surface water pollution, and nutrient leaching (de Haan et al., 1999). Terefore, manure management should aim to explore all potential benefts while minimizing, if not eliminating, any adverse efects and contributing to the sustainability of agricul- tural production systems. To achieve this goal, the infuence of manure application on agricultural soils should be evaluated in each particular crop and environment. A crop’s response to the addition of nutrients depends on many factors, including the initial nutritional status of the soil and the environmental conditions. In cereals, several nutrient application strategies have been developed to optimize grain yield and quality. However, under semiarid Mediterranean Crop Ecology & Physiology Effect of Organic Manure on Wheat Grain Yield, Nutrient Accumulation, and Translocation Spyridon D. Koutroubas,* Vasileios Antoniadis, Christos A. Damalas, and Sideris Fotiadis Published in Agron. J. 108:615 – 625 (2016) doi:10.2134/agronj2015.0328 Received 13 July 2015 Accepted 28 Oct. 2015 Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Agronomy 5585 Guilford Road, Madison, WI 53711 USA All rights reserved ABSTRACT A feld study was conducted for two consecutive growing seasons to assess the efect of organic manure on the growth, productivity and nutrient dynamics of winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), as well as on the concentration of trace elements in soil and wheat plants. Treatments consisted of two rates of farmyard manure (16 and 32 Mg dry weight ha -1 yr -1 ), one rate of inorganic fertilizer (IF, 120 kg N ha -1 yr -1 plus 80 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 yr -1 ), and an unamended control. Manure improved wheat growth and productivity compared to the unamended control; the response was dependent on the application rate. Te high manure rate increased the number of spikes m -2 and resulted in grain yield similar to that of the IF. Manure application caused no changes in N, P, and K concentrations in plant tissues. At the high manure rate, N and P uptake was similar to that of the IF. Averaged across years, manure application resulted in nutrient translocation from vegetative parts to grain at a lower (for the N) or similar (for the P) rate to that of the IF. No di ferences among treatments in nutrient translocation efciency were observed. Nitrogen and P translocation was correlated with total aboveground N or P accumulation at anthesis, respectively. Te N use efciency of manure-N was lower compared with that of inorganic fertilizer-N, mainly because of the corresponding di ferences in uptake efciency. Trace elements did not increase with added manure either in soil or in wheat plant tissues. S.D. Koutroubas, C.A. Damalas, and S. Fotiadis, Dep. of Agricultural Development, Democritus Univ. of Trace, GR-682 00 Orestiada, Greece; V. Antoniadis, Dep. of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, Univ. of Tessaly, GR-384 46 Volos, Greece. *Corresponding author (skoutrou@agro.duth.gr). Abbreviations: CCI, chlorophyll content index; GDW, grain dry weight; HI, harvest index; IF, inorganic fertilizer treatment; LAI, leaf area index; NUE, N use efciency; UPE, N uptake efciency; UTE, N utilization efciency. Published January 29, 2016