Productivity of winter pea under the application of nitrogen fertilization and biological preparations in the Steppe of Ukraine

Abstract

Purpose. To determine the elements of the yield structure and the level of crop productivity under the effect of the studied agronomic practices. Methods. Field, agrochemical and statistical methods were used in the study. Results. The results of experiments on the effect of nitrogen fertilization and biological preparations on the yield structure formation and the productivity of winter pea in the Steppe of Ukraine are presented. It was determined that the winter pea varieties ‘Enduro’ and ‘NS Moroz’ formed different plant densities: 78 plants/m2 and 77 plants/m2, respectively. With the application of biological preparations Leanum Humikor and Mycofriend, plant density increased by an average of 3%. The number of beans and seeds per plant and the weight of grain for the application of fertilizers in ‘Enduro’ was on average 11.3 and 30.6, respectively, and for the application of biological preparations 11.0 and 28.6, respectively. In ‘NS Moroz’, these indicators were 15.6 and 27.1, respectively, for the application of fertilizers and 15.5 and 27.1, respectively, for the application of biological preparations. The grain weight was 4.5–4.3 g in ‘Enduro’ and 4–3.8 g in ‘NS Moroz’. A high grain yield of 3.83 t/ha and 3.82 t/ha was obtained in both ‘Enduro’ and ‘NS Moroz’, respectively, after applying the Mycofriend + N40. In the treatments where the main fertilizers N10Р46К0 + N40 and N64Р46К0 + N40 were applied in spring, the yield was 3.15 t/ha and 3.08 t/ha in the ‘Enduro’ variety and 3.15 t/ha and 3.24 t/ha in the ‘NS Moroz’ variety, respectively. Conclusions. The application of biological preparations increased grain yield of winter pea compared to the use of additional doses of nitrogen fertilizers. The difference in grain yield between the fertilization options and the application of biological preparations was 0.67–0.74 t/ha in ‘Enduro’ and 0.59–0.68 t/ha in ‘NS Moroz’, respectively. To obtain high productivity of winter pea, the most effective agronomic practice is the application of fertilizers and biological preparations during autumn sowing, which helps to reduce the influence of changing soil and climate conditions in the period of plant organogenesis, and obtain optimum yield structure.