Impact of three integrated crop protection treatments on the varieties of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Moscow area, Russia

Abstract

In Russia, winter wheat occupies a key important place in the grain production with a significant proportion in the whole agricultural system. However, wheat pests and diseases, particularly fungal diseases, induce high quantitative and qualitative losses causing critical damages with significant economic losses. The current study aimed at investigating the impact of three integrated crop protection treatments: basic, intensive and highly intensive. The treatments included: fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides and growth regulators at different combinations and concentrations. Two winter wheat varieties and two winter wheat lines were studied: Moscovckaya 40 (V1), Nemchinovckaya 17 (V2), Line 708/12 (V3) and Line 3512/10 (V4). Yield performances and grain quality (measured through protein content) were determined according to the tested treatments. The infection rates were measured for snow mold, root rot disease, septoria, powdery mildew, fusarium and wheat leaf rust. The results showed that the highly intensive treatment was the most effective against fungal diseases with the most important values in terms of wheat yield and grain quality. The results were varietydependent revealing the intrinsic genetic performances and the different patterns of resistance against diseases. The current results open real opportunities for a large-scale application of the tested treatments in different regions of Russia.