INFLUENCE OF MICROELEMENTAL FERTILIZERS AND SOWING TIME ON WINTER WHEAT DEVELOPMENT AND GRAIN QUALITY

Abstract

Future challenges in agriculture are not limited to increasing crop productivity. Farmers are striving to take sustainability principles into account, ensuring increased yields without additional harmful effects on the environment. One of the main ways we can ensure sustainable agricultural development is to use advanced methods and technologies designed to improve crop quality and increase yields.

The field experiment was carried out in 2023–2024 at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy. The two-factor experiment included four different sowing dates: September 7, September 14, September 21, and September 28 (Factor A), and additional fertilization with microelemental fertilizers (Factor B). Before the experiment was installed, the topsoil had a neutral reaction (pH–7.1), medium humus content (2.05%), high phosphorus content (241 mg kg^-1), and potassium content (186 mg kg^-1). Crops sown at the earliest sowing dates (September 7 and 14) and additionally fertilized exhibited the highest concentrations of chlorophyll (230.50–226.13 µmol m^-2), nitrogen (10.09–9.68%), and the highest NDGI index values (0.692–0.688). Wheat sown on September 7 and 14 and additional fertilization with microelemental fertilizers showed significantly better grain quality parameters: protein content (12.3–12.2 %), gluten content (25.0–23.6 %), sedimentation values (42.6–44.7 ml), and hectolitre weight (71.7–71.2 kg hl^-1).