Influence of sowing dates and fertilisation on yield and quality of winter wheat grain

Abstract

New wheat varieties exhibit a high adaptive potential for productivity. The question of improving cultivation technologies, specifically sowing dates, optimised fertilisation systems, and micronutrient application, remains relevant to fully realise the genetic potential of these varieties under specific soil and climatic conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of sowing dates, fertilisation, and foliar application of micronutrients on the yield and quality parameters of winter wheat grown in the Western Forest-Steppe zone. A field experiment was conducted on grey forest surface-gleyed soils during 2021-2023. The study evaluated the yield formation parameters and quality indicators of the winter wheat varieties Estafeta myronivska, Dovira odeska, and Akhim under sowing dates of 20 September, 5 October, and 20 October. It was determined that the yield and grain quality of the studied wheat varieties varied under the influence of sowing dates, fertilisation, and foliar micronutrient application. Sowing winter wheat on 5 October resulted in the highest yields over the years of the study: on average, 5.29 t/ha for the Estafeta myronivska, 4.78 t/ha for Dovira odeska, and 5.05 t/ha for Akhim. The highest productivity (5.83 t/ ha) was achieved by sowing Estafeta myronivska with N120P90K90 fertilisation and foliar application of the Aidamin complex. Across all wheat varieties, protein content, gluten content, and vitreousness increased from the earliest to the latest sowing dates. The findings of this study can be applied to enhance the productivity of winter wheat agroecosystems and produce high-quality grain under production conditions