Suitability of varieties of winter wheat in low external input systems in West Germany

Abstract

Low external input systems are able to reduce significantly negative impacts of agriculture on the environment and economics (e.g. water pollution and overproduction). In West Germany they are represented by so called ecological agriculture. Yield, disease resistance, root growth, infection with vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza, and baking quality of old and modern varieties of winter wheat were studied in different field trials from 1982 to 1987. Modern varieties (registered 1973–1983) gave higher grain yields and had better disease resistance and baking quality than older ones. Total root length was not reduced generally during the period of plant breeding with the extensive use of chemicals. There were little differences in the extent of mycorrhizal associations of four wheat varieties of different time of registration. Tall cultivars with high biomass production and good disease resistance properties were most suitable among modern varieties in ecological agriculture. Good baking qualities according to the official classifications were associated with a rather low protein content.