EFFECT OF A BIOSTIMULANT ON YIELD STRUCTURE ELEMENTS AND GRAIN QUALITY OF LATE SOWN, DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF WINTER WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)

Abstract

The two-factorial experiment was carried out between 2022 and 2023 years on the crop farm of farmer L. Kriukeliene in the village of Daukšiagirė in the district of Prienai, in the municipality of Pakuonis. The experiment involved late sowing of different winter wheat varieties 'Skagen' and 'Etana'. Part of the crop was sprayed with a bio stimulant, the other part was not sprayed with a bio stimulant. The trial was carried out in four replications, totaling 16 plots. The precursor is bean. Sown on 2 October. Winter wheat was sown at a depth of about 3 cm due to late sowing, with 5.2 million germinated seeds ha^-1. The row spacing is 12.5 cm. Before sowing, the wheat was fertilized with the complex fertilizer N₈P₂₄K₂₄ - 200 kg ha^-1. The soil was limed with granulated lime at a rate of 800 kg ha^-1. The soil of the experimental field was unsaturated shallow loamy podzolic soil (Dystric-Epihypogleyic-Albeluvisol), the granulometric composition was sandy loam, the soil topsoil was slightly acidic (pH 5.2), with medium humus content (1.96 perc.), medium phosphorus content (145 mg kg^-1) and high potassium content (236 mg kg^-1).

The application of fertilizer with bio stimulants at BBCH 27-29 had a significant effect on the number of grains per ear (4 pcs) and the weight per 1000 grains (1.7 g) of winter wheat variety 'Etana' compared to wheat without bio stimulant application. The 1000-grain weight of 'Skagen' was not significantly affected by the bio stimulant. The winter wheat of the variety 'Skagen' had a significantly higher protein content (1.0 perc. and 1.5 perc.) in the grain compared to the variety 'Etana'. The application of fertilizers with bio stimulants did not have a significant effect on the protein content of the grains of the varieties studied.