Variety, Chemical Protection and Biostimulator Effect on Winter Wheat Status

Abstract

Wheat production faces several challenges, including climate change, expensive inputs, rising market demand, and environmental pollution, which necessitates alternative solutions. This study aimed to analyze the impact of applying the antifungal chemical protection and biostimulators on the winter wheat. The field experiment was set up during the 2022–23 growing season according to the RCBD in four replicates on the surface area of the Agricultural Institute Osijek. In total, three treatments (control, antifungal chemical protection, and antifungal chemical protection + biostimulator) and six varieties of wheat origin from Croatia (Žitarka, Golubica, and Felix) and Poland (Venecja, Plejada, and Opoka) were applied, and a total of sixteen properties were analyzed. The temperatures and precipitation data during the vegetation season were monitored. According to the analysis of variance, variety was significant for fourteen traits, treatment for six traits, and their interaction for all sixteen traits. Generally, average wheat yield was low (4.60 t ha-1) but the quality, in context of protein content, was quite high (14.8%). The biostimulator had a positive effect on the yield, kernel number per ear, hectoliter mass and wet gluten/protein ratio. Varieties originating from Poland showed slightly higher values of agro-morphological properties while Croatian varieties showed slightly higher values of grain quality.