SOWING TIME AND SEED RATE INFLUENCE ON PRODUCTIVITY OF WINTER WHEAT

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to investigate the influence of sowing time and seed rate on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity. The experiment was carried out in 2021-2022 at the Experimental Station of the Academy of Agriculture of Vytautas Magnus University. The granulometric composition of the soil was dominated by medium loam. The arable layer of the soil before the installation of the experiment had a neutral reaction (pH-7.0), moderate humus content (2.15%), high phosphorus content (226 mg kg^-1) and moderate potassium content (143 mg kg^-1). In a two-factor experiment, factor A: different sowing times (September 7, 14, 21, 28 and October 5), factor B: different seed rates (2, 3, 4 and 5 million seeds ha^-1). The experiment was performed in four replicates. During the growing season, winter wheat is fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers three times, a total rate of N₁₅₃.

Significantly the most grains in the ear (82 and 81 units) were found in late sowing (September 28 and October 5), the lowest seed rate (2 million ha^-1) in the sown crop compared to the number of grains in ears that matured on September 7, 14 and 21 in sown crops. The significantly highest mass of 1000 grains (46.4 g) and the significantly highest yield (8.1 t ha^-1) was determined in the fields where winter wheat was sown on September 7, 4 and 3 million. ha^-1 seed rate. The significantly lowest yield (6.5 t ha^-1) was determined on September 21 and 28, the lowest seed rate (2 million units ha^-1) in the sown fields.