Winter Wheat Grain Research Articles

Influence of varietal characteristics of winter wheat and weather conditions on lodging resistance and productivity

Growing technologies and variety selection are crucial for increasing yields and improving the quality of winter wheat grain. The area under winter wheat is the largest in Ukraine, which is associated with the production of high-quality grain. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of weather conditions and variety characteristics on winter wheat plant height, internode length, lodging resistance, productivity factor and yield during the years under study. In the course of the study, the following generally accepted methods were used: systematic approach, system analysis approach, analytical synthesis approach, field approach and statistical approach. The article presents data on the results of research with 20 varieties of soft winter wheat in the conditions of the Training and Practical Centre of Mykolaiv National Agrarian University from 2017 to 2023. Agricultural technology for growing winter wheat varieties is widespread in the steppes of southern Ukraine. The influence of weather conditions and varietal characteristics on lodging resistance and productivity of winter wheat was investigated. The results showed that the optimum plant height of winter wheat varieties ranged from 82.1 to 84.5 cm, and the highest yield was 6.32 t/ha in Staleva and 6.68 t/ha in Duma Odeska. A significant effect of varietal traits on stem length, second and last internode, number of stems formed per 1 m2 , grain weight in the ear and lodging resistance of winter bread wheat was established. Plants of the tested winter soft wheat varieties Staleva, Dyvo, Katarina, Felix, Ozerna, PONTICUS, Faust, Glaucus have a very high (9.0 points) resistance to lodging regardless of the weather conditions of the year. Ukrainian varieties Duma Odeska (6.68 t/ha) and Staleva (6.32 t/ha) achieved higher productivity. The obtained scientific results of the research contribute to the widespread use of the studied winter wheat varieties of this reasonably climatic zone and contribute to further improvement of grain production

Influence of weather conditions on yield and protein content in winter wheat grain

The results of three-year studies (2020–2022) conducted in the forest-steppe zone of the Samara region in the agrocenosis of winter wheat are presented. The purpose of the work was to study the influence of natural and climatic conditions of the research area on the formation of yield indicators, protein content in winter wheat grain. The material was 10 varieties from the Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) collection and 5 varieties of selection of the Povolzhsky Scientific Research Institute of Selection and Seed Growing named after P.N. Konstantinov. Yield, grain protein content and protein yield per hectare were determined. Varieties characterized by high yield and high amount of protein in grain, showing maximum protein yield in different weather conditions of the years were identified. Over the years of research, the year 2022 was the most favorable for the formation of high yields (between 6 and 8.5 t/ha were harvested in the indicated year), where a large amount of precipitation was observed in May – the first ten-day period of June. The protein content in grain was the highest in 2021 (14–19%), when high temperatures were observed during the grain filling period in the absence of precipitation. For each variety, the correlation dependence of the sum of active temperatures and the amount of precipitation during the spring-summer vegetation period with the studied indicators was established. There was a negative correlation between the sum of active temperatures and yield (from –0.553 to –0.981) and a positive correlation with the protein content indicator (from 0.605 to 0.984) depending on the variety. The amount of precipitation was in a positive correlation with the yield index, the dependence on the protein content in the grain was ambiguous and depended on the variety. The studied indicators were influenced not only by natural and climatic conditions, but also by the genotypic features of the studied varieties, which explains the diverse correlation dependence.

Effects of Reclaimed Water Irrigation on Grain Quality and Endogenous Estrogen Concentrations of Winter Wheat

Reclaimed water irrigation can effectively alleviate the shortage of water resources in arid and semi-arid areas; however, reclaimed water contains organic pollutants that may enter the agricultural production environment through irrigation, such as endogenous estrogens, so people have always paid attention to the safety of reclaimed water irrigation. In this paper, we studied the effects of reclaimed water irrigation, groundwater irrigation, and alternating irrigation of the two water sources on grain quality, as well as endogenous estrogen concentrations of winter wheat and topsoil in the North China Plain during 2015–2016. The results show that the concentrations of crude protein, total soluble sugar, crude ash, crude starch, and reduction-type vitamin C (reduction-type VC) in the winter wheat grains were 12.5–16.4%, 0.85–2.15%, 1.85–3.28%, 61.5–75.0%, and 4.9–16.0 mg/kg, respectively. There were no significant differences in these quality indexes among the irrigation treatments (p > 0.05). The concentrations of endogenous estrogen in the surface soil and winter wheat grain under all irrigation treatments were 0.34–4.01 μg/kg and below the limits of detection (ND)–3.71 μg/kg, respectively. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of endogenous estrogen in the soil and wheat grain among the different irrigation treatments (p > 0.05). The bioconcentration factor (BCF) of the endogenous estrogen in the soil–winter wheat system was 0.08–1.90, and there was no significant difference in the BCF among the irrigation treatments (p > 0.05). Compared with groundwater irrigation, reclaimed water irrigation did not significantly affect endogenous estrogen concentrations in the soil and winter wheat, as well as the bioconcentration factors.

Prediction of Grain Yield and Gluten Content in Winter Bread Wheat Based on Nutrient Content in Plant Parts during the Critical Cereal Window

Reliable prediction of winter bread wheat grain yield (GY) and its qualitative parameters (crude protein (CP) and wet gluten (GL) content, wet gluten yield (GLY)) requires evaluation of the plant nutritional status in the Critical Cereal Window (CCW). The reliability of the forecast depends on the dedicated plant characteristics and the correct selection of the diagnostic plant parts. This hypothesis was verified in a one-factor field experiment carried out in the 2013/2014, 2014/2015, and 2015/2016 growing seasons. The field experiment included applying 0, 40, 80, 120, 160, 200, and 240 kg N ha−1. The N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu content in wheat was determined in two growth stages: (i) beginning of booting (BBCH 40) and (ii) full flowering (BBCH 65). The evaluated plant components included the leaves and stem for BBCH 40 and the flag leaf, leaves, stem, and ear of BBCH 65. Grain yields were very high, significantly responding to the increased rates of fertilizer nitrogen (Nf), with a maximum yield of 11.3 t ha−1 achieved in 2014 (N rate of 209 kg N ha−1), 13.7 t ha−1 in 2015, and 8.6 t ha−1 in 2016 (N rate of 240 kg N ha−1). The CP and GL content also increased linearly in accordance with the Nf rates. At the beginning of the booting stage, the GY forecast based on the content of nutrients in the leaves or the stem was 94%. Meanwhile, a slightly higher yield prediction was obtained for leaves during the full flowering stage (95%). The key nutrients comprised K, Ca, and Mn, accounting for 93% of the GY variability. The accuracy of the GL prognosis at BBCH 40, regardless of the plant part, exceeded 99%. Three nutrients, namely, P, Mg, and Zn, explained 98% of the GL variability, and the GLY forecast was high (97%). Both wheat traits depended on Zn, which buffered the action of N and Mg. At the full flowering stage, the highest, yet slightly weaker, predictions of GL and GLY were obtained for leaves (95% and 92%, respectively). At this stage of winter wheat growth, the significant role of Zn and K and the buffering effect of Cu on the action of both nutrients was apparent. The obtained results unequivocally confirm that the game for winter wheat grain yield occurs within the Critical Cereal Window. In addition, the end result depends on the plant’s N supply during this period and the nutritional status of other nutrients. Application of 40–80 kg N ha−1 fertilizer critically impacted the GY and technological quality. Moreover, micronutrients, including Zn and Cu, influence the GY, GL, and GLY considerably. At the beginning of the booting phase (BBCH 40), winter wheat leaves serve as a highly reliable plant component indicator for evaluating nutrient content and quantitative (GY, GLY) and qualitative (GL) characteristics of grain. Moreover, analysis conducted during BBCH 40 allows the farmer to correct the nutritional status of the wheat, taking into account N and other nutrients as necessary.

Mixed application of controlled-release urea and normal urea can improve crop productivity and reduce the carbon footprint under straw return in winter wheat-summer maize cropping system

An important goal of sustainable agriculture is reducing the environmental risk while also ensuring food security. The mixed application of controlled-release urea and normal urea (CRUNU) is a potential nitrogen (N) management strategy for achieving this goal. However, few studies have focused on whether optimizing the N application rate of CRUNU can balance crop yield and greenhouse gas emissions, especially when straw is returned. Thus, we conducted a five-year field experiment in a winter wheat–summer maize planting system in Northwest China to determine the effects of different N fertilizer types (NU: normal urea; CRUNU) and N application levels (low N, 135 kg ha–1; medium N, 180 kg ha–1; high N, 225 kg ha–1) with straw return on the crop yield and stability, N fertilizer partial factor productivity (NFPF), and soil organic carbon (SOC). Life cycle assessment was also conducted to quantify the GHG emissions from farmland and carbon footprint (CF). Compared with NU, CRUNU improved the winter wheat and summer maize grain yield, biomass, and NFPF at all three N application levels. The crop grain yields increased significantly as the N application level increased under NU, but the crop grain yields did not differ significantly between the medium and high N application levels under CRUNU (P > 0.05). The SOC contents increased as the duration of straw return increased. Compared with NU, CRUNU significantly increased the SOC content, and correlation analysis showed that this increase was related to the increased amount of returned straw. Compared with NU, CRUNU increased the GHG emissions in the production process but reduced the GHG emissions in the application process, as well as increasing soil CO2 fixation to ultimately reduce the total GHG emissions. CRUNU increased the crop grain yield while also reducing the total GHG emissions, and thus the CF decreased significantly by 14.53–23.03% compared with NU, especially at the medium N application level. Therefore, this comprehensive analysis of the crop productivity and GHG emissions indicates that CRUNU combined with an appropriate N application level can be used as a nitrogen fertilizer management strategy for sustainable winter wheat–summer maize cropping in Northwest China.

Genetic improvement of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield in the Northern Great Plains of North America, 1959–2021

AbstractPlant breeding progress is often based on assessments of genetic gain, a measure of year‐on‐year improvement of newly developed varieties for important traits of interest. Herein, we present data from the USDA‐coordinated hard winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Northern Regional Performance Nursery (NRPN) collected from 1959 to 2021 for grain yield, grain volume weight, days‐to‐heading, and plant height and use it to estimate absolute and relative rates of genetic gain (loss) of the control cultivar "Kharkof" for winter wheats adapted to the Northern Great Plains of North America. Regression analyses revealed significant relative grain yield increases of 0.67% Kharkof year−1 or 39.2 kg ha−1 year−1 for the NRPN over the 63‐year period. From 2008 to 2021, however, negative linear relationships were observed for relative grain yield for all NRPN entries and the five highest yielding NRPN lines each year, with genetic grain yield losses estimated at −0.95 and −0.79% Kharkof year−1, respectively. Surprisingly, genetic progress for grain yield in the NRPN was limited to just 8.9 kg ha−1 year−1 over the past 13 years. Moreover, linear‐plateau models significantly (p < 0.0001) fit all relative and absolute yield datasets from 1959 to 2021, with yield plateaus beginning by 2008 for all groups. These results support that winter wheats adapted to the Northern Great Plains have reached an upper yield plateau and could be nearing a yield potential ceiling due to global warming or other combined abiotic and biotic environmental stressors that are straining the biophysical limits of the crop.

The Effect of Organic and Conventional Cultivation Systems on the Profile of Volatile Organic Compounds in Winter Wheat Grain, Including Susceptibility to Fusarium Head Blight.

The grain of 30 winter wheat cultivars differing in terms of their resistance to FHB (Fusarium head blight) was tested. The cultivars were grown in four variants of field trials established in a split-plot design: control without fungicides, chemical control of FHB with fungicides after Fusarium inoculation, Fusarium head inoculation, and organic cultivation. The profile of volatile compounds in grain samples was determined by mean headspace-solid phase microextraction and analyzed by gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. The identified volatile profile comprised 146 compounds belonging to 14 chemical groups. The lowest abundance of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was found for the organic cultivation variant. The performed discriminant analysis facilitated the complete separation of grain for individual experimental variants based on the number of VOCs decreasing from 116 through 62, 37 down to 14. The grain from organic farming was characterized by a significantly different VOCs profile than the grain from the other variants of the experiment. The compounds 1-methylcycloheptanol, 2-heptanone, 2(3H)-furanone, and 5-hexyldihydro-2(3H)-furanone showed statistically significant differences between all four experimental variants.

Life Cycle Assessment of Winter Wheat Production Using Precision and Conventional Seeding Technologies

Sustainable and responsible agricultural production is one of the keys to keeping people, animals, soil, and the environment healthy. Precision seeding technologies for winter wheat, exploiting the variability of soil properties and adapting the technological processes of variable rate seeding and variable seeding depths, are essential not only to improving plant productivity and economic benefits but also to cleaner agricultural production. This work aimed to carry out a life cycle assessment (LCA) of winter wheat production and determine the environmental impact of different precision seeding technologies in terms of individual impact categories compared to conventional seeding technology. Experimental studies were carried out between 2020 and 2022 using conventional uniform seeding rate (URS) and several precision seeding technologies: in the first year—VRS for variable seeding rate and VRS + VRF for variable seeding rate and fertilizer rate, and in the second year—VRS and VRSD for variable seeding rate and variable depth, and VRSD + VRF for variable seeding rate, variable depth, and variable fertilizer rate. The results obtained for winter wheat grain yield showed that the effect of precision seeding technology on the increase of grain yield was not significant compared to the URS. A greater influence on grain yield was found in individual soil management zones, especially in the zone with the worst soil fertility. The LCA did not show any significant differences between precision seeding technology and conventional technology in any of the environmental impact categories. The GWP values (0.200–0.236 kg CO2eq kg−1) were most dependent on grain yield, as precision seeding technology had small changes in the amount of inputs (seeds and fertilizers), while all other technological operations were the same as under the URS technology. The amounts of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers decreased by 1.4 and 7.9%, respectively, and the amounts of winter wheat seeds and nitrogen fertilizers increased by 4.1 and 5.4%, respectively, compared to the URS.

Technology of cultivation of winter wheat in the steppe zone of RNO-Alania

The authors present the results of the use of growth biological preparations on winter wheat crops in the steppe zone of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. The purpose of the study is to increase the yield of winter crops with high quality indicators of food grain through the use of biological products - Edagum SM (450 ml/ha); Furolan Zh (5.1 ml/ha); Vitazim BP (1.0l/ha). Novelty. For the first time in the conditions of the steppe zone, the scientific basis for the use of biological agents aimed at improving the quality and yield of winter wheat has been developed. Methodology. The research was carried out in 2020-2022 on the experimental fields of the Vladikavkaz Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, located in the Mozdok region of North Ossetia-Alania. The soils of the experimental plot are carbonate-chestnut. In terms of mechanical composition, they are classified as heavy loamy coarse silt. The chemical composition of chestnut calcareous soils is quite favorable for the cultivation of agricultural crops. The content of humus, depending on the mechanical composition, ranges from 2.22 to 3.45 %. The introduction of growth regulators made it possible to obtain a high yield with quality indicators of grain. The use of the biological product Edagum SM, in terms of yield, turned out to be the best, where the increase in comparison with the control for the Grom variety was 1.31 t/ha, Furolan Zh - 0.99 t/ha, Vitazim VR - 0.69 t/ha. For the Yumpa variety - 1.35 t/ha, 0.99, 0.77 t/ha, respectively. By treating plants with biological preparations, the quality indicators of winter wheat grain are improved, where the gluten content of the studied varieties increases by 4.4 %, the increase in gluten with the use of Furolan Zh biological preparations by 4.0 % and Vitazim VR by 1.2 %. Using the drug Edagum SM profitability increased by 48 %, Furolan Zh increased the level of profitability by 35.7 %, Vitazim VR by 17.7 %. For the Yumpa variety, when growth regulators are introduced, the level of profitability increases from 24.3 to 50.3 % compared to the control.

Evaluation of Hydrothermal Treatment of Winter Wheat Grain with Ozonated Water.

Products must be cleaned or otherwise treated to keep them clean when they are prepared for further production or when they are supplied fresh to the consumer. Cereals have significantly lower settling losses than succulent agricultural products, but the risks that can arise from their hydrothermal treatment before milling-where the cereals are moistened and left to rest for 14 h (temperature 30 °C)-are often underestimated. This operation creates a favourable environment for the development of micro-organisms, which, if not destroyed, can continue throughout the processing stages and be passed on to the consumer. This study investigated the qualitative characteristics of winter wheat hydrothermally treated with ozonated water at a concentration of 1.51 ± 0.1 mg L-1, such as the amount of mould in the grains and flour, as well as the grain protein, moisture, gluten, sedimentation, starch and weight per hectolitre. For the assessment of these parameters, the account was taken of the State standard, which provides the grain class and the type of grain. The reduction in mould fungi after the treatment of the winter wheat grain with ozonated water ranged between 440 and 950 CFU g-1. The results of the microbiological analysis showed that the ozone treatment improved the mycological safety of the flour samples made from the grain from an average of 390 ± 110 CFU g-1 to 29 ± 12 CFU g-1. On the other hand, the treatment of kernels with ozonated water did not significantly affect the basic composition of the winter wheat grains.

Investigation of Spectroscopic Peculiarities of Ergot-Infected Winter Wheat Grains.

Wheat has played an important role in human agriculture since ancient times. Increasing rates of processed wheat product fabrication require more and more laboratory studies of product quality. This, in turn, requires the use, in production and in field conditions, of sufficiently accurate, fast and relatively low-cost quality control methods, including the detection of fungal diseases. One of the most widespread fungal diseases of wheat in the world is ergot caused by the fungi genus Claviceps. Optical methods are promising for this disease identification due to the relative ease of implementation and the possibility of performing fast analyses in large volumes. However, for application in practice, it is necessary to identify and substantiate characteristic spectral markers that make it possible to judge the sample contamination. In this regard, within the framework of this study, the methods of IR absorption spectroscopy in the MIR region and reflection spectroscopy in the UV-vis-NIR ranges, as well as luminescence spectroscopy, were used to study ergot-infected grains of winter wheat of the "Moskovskaya 56" cultivar. To justify the choice of the most specific spectral ranges, the methods of chemometric analysis with supervised classification, namely PCA-LDA and PCA-SVM, were applied. The possibility of separating infected grains according to the IR absorption, reflection spectra in the UV-vis-NIR ranges and visible luminescence spectra was tested.

Winter wheat productivity and grain quality while minimizing agricultural techniques in the conditions of the Central Blackearth Region

Winter wheat is the main grain crop in the Central Blackearth region. The purpose of the current study was to estimate the effect of basic tillage practices and doses of mineral fertilizers in crop rotations on the productivity, grain quality and economic efficiency of winter wheat grain production in the conditions of the Central Blackearth region. The study was carried out on the experimental field of the FSBSI “Kursk FARC” on the slope of the northern exposure in 2016–2020. The scheme of the trial included crop rotations (grain-fallow, grain-grass-fallow, graingrass), primary tillage methods (plowing, disking, non-moldboard plowing), mineral fertilizers (without fertilizers, single N20Р40К40 and double N40Р80К80 doses). As a result of the study, there has been established productivity advantage of the grain-fallow crop rotation over the grain-grass-fallow and grain-grass crop rotation. Winter wheat productivity in the grain-grass crop rotation has decreased on an average of 10.2 %, in the grain-grass it has reduced on 15.8 %, compared with the grain-fallow crop rotation. The minimization of primary tillage methods in most cases has contributed to a decrease of winter wheat productivity, content of gluten, protein, and grain nature weight, compared with plowing. The introduction of mineral fertilizers has contributed to the improvement of all indicators of winter wheat grain quality. The largest yield of 4.63 t/ha was obtained in a grain-fallow crop rotation when plowing the soil with a fertilizer dose of N40P80K80. Calculations of the economic efficiency of the applied technologies have shown that the cost price of winter wheat grain was lower (4.44 thousand rubles/t) when disking soil in a grain-grass crop rotation with the application of a fertilizer dose N20P40K40. At the same time, the profit has amounted to 19.85 thousand rubles/ha, the level of profitability was 125.2 %. The minimum cost price of winter wheat grain was found in the variant with a fertilizer dose of N32P64K64.

Breeding estimation of the winter wheat varieties in the conditions of the southern forest-steppe of Western Siberia

The expansion of winter wheat sowing areas is one of the reserves for increasing grain production in the Siberian region, since the areas under winter wheat is 15–20 % larger than under spring wheat according to productivity and has great potential in using bioclimatic resources of the region. the availability of sources of economically valuable traits and the development of various initial material on their basis is of decisive importance for breeding of new winter wheat varieties and their successful introduction into production. The purpose of the current paper was to find sources of economically valuable traits from the collection of winter wheat varieties of Russian breeding in the conditions of Western Siberia. There has been studied a collection of varieties and lines of winter common wheat of Russian breeding from the institutions of the Rostov region, Stavropol, and Krasnodar Areas. Field and laboratory trials were carried out on the experimental field of the Omsk SAU in the conditions of the southern forest-steppe of Western Siberia in 2020–2022. Sowing was laid in fallow at the generally accepted sowing dates. According to the breeding estimation of the studied samples in the field seasons of 2020–2022 there was a significant correlation between winter resistance of plants and winter wheat productivity (r = 0.59), as well as an inverse correlation between productivity and gluten percentage (r = –0.36), grain ash content (r = –0.73) and sedimentation (r = –0.38). The varieties ‘Barynya’ (North Caucasian FNAC), ‘Gubernator Dona’, ‘Donna’ (Rostov ARC), ‘Don 107’, ‘Nakhodka’ (ARC “Donskoy”) and the line ‘K18918’ (RCG named after P.P. Lukyanenko), characterized by increased winter resistance (6.5–8 points) and productivity (351–384 g/m2) have been recommended as sources in breeding to improve productivity level and stability of winter wheat varieties in the conditions of Western Siberia. The varieties ‘Etnos’, ‘Anka’, ‘Gurt’, ‘Antonina’, ‘Alekseich’ and ‘Duplet’ of Krasnodar breeding with a high protein and gluten percentage (16.1–17.9 % and 35.5–39.3 %), large grain ash content and sedimentation (1.59–1.92 % and 58.0–67.0 ml) can be used as an initial material in breeding to improve the quality of winter wheat grain.

Mycotoxin Level in Winter Wheat Grain as Impacted by Nitrogen and Manganese Fertilisation

A field experiment with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivation was conducted at the Research and Education Centre in Tomaszkowo, Poland (53°72′ N; 20°42′ E) in the years 2013–2016. Fertilisation with nitrogen at 150 and 200 kg ha−1 and foliar application of manganese at 0.5 and 1.5 kg ha−1 were the research factors. Wheat infestation by Fusarium spp. was determined by the habitat conditions during crop growth. Neither nitrogen nor manganese fertilisation affected the presence of Fusarium spp. symptoms on wheat ears, but the infestation intensity decreased with increasing nitrogen and manganese content in the grain. Only the level of deoxynivalenol (DON) was correlated with Fusarium spp. infestation. Increasing the nitrogen fertilisation rate from 150 kg ha−1 to 200 kg ha−1 resulted in higher grain contamination with toxins. Supplementation of nitrogen fertilisation with manganese reduced the number of mycotoxins in wheat grain. The grain yield was mainly affected by the varied weather conditions during the wheat-growing periods. Neither nitrogen nor manganese fertilisation differentiated the wheat grain yield. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the weather conditions and nitrogen and manganese fertilisation on the grain yield, occurrence of Fusarium head blight and mycotoxin level in winter wheat grain.

TECHNOLOGICAL INDICATORS FORMATION OF THE WINTER WHEAT GRAIN QUALITY UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF AGRICULTURE ENVIRONMENTALIZATION OF THE STEPPE OF UKRAINE

Wheat is the leading food grain in the global food balance. Ukraine is among the top 10 world grain producers and therefore the issue of increasing the production of high-quality, environmentally friendly grain is extremely relevant. The aim of the work was to study the influence of the system of agrotechnical measures for the greening of agriculture on the formation of technological indicators of the quality of winter wheat grain, which will make it possible to obtain high-quality environmentally friendly wheat grain in the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine, as well as reduce the negative pressure on the environment of modern factors of intensification of agriculture. The assessment of the quality of winter wheat grain was carried out according to such technological indicators as the protein content, the quantity and quality of gluten, the falling number, the weight of 1000 grains and bulk density. The experiments were carried out in a grain-rowed short-rotation 5-field crop rotation with alternating crops: peas – winter wheat – corn – sunflower – winter barley. The soil of the experimental plot is southern chernozem, low-humus, medium-thick, difficult loamy in the forest. The conducted studies have shown that the quality of grain changes both from the system of the main soil cultivation in the crop rotation, and from the use of spreaders of by-products of the predecessor, and the influence of these factors manifested itself depending on the weather conditions over the years of research in different ways. The best result with the element of biologization of agriculture was obtained with the use of the biodestructor Cellulad 2 l/ha, which significantly improves the technological indicators of the quality of winter wheat grain. So, on average, over the years of research, the best grain was obtained in the variant with a system of no-till multi-depth tillage against the background of the introduction of the biodegradable Cellulad 2 l/ha with the protein content of 12.6%, the crude gluten content of 23.4%, the gluten quality indicator according to its deformation index is 82.2 conventional units of the VDC device and the falling number of 334.3 s. With the introduction of additional nitrogen N10 per 1 ton of by-products, as an energy material for the efficient decomposition of organic matter by soil microorganisms, an increase in the quality of winter wheat grain is also observed, but the results are inferior to the best option. Carrying out a moisture-saving system of a non-linear mid-depth basic tillage increases the action of a biodestructor in the conditions of the arid Southern Steppe of Ukraine.

How Weather and Fertilization Affected Grain Yield and Stability of Winter Wheat in a Long-Term Trial in the South Moravian Region, Czech Republic

We evaluated the impact of weather and fertilization treatments (Control, PK, NPK1, NPK2, and NPK3) on winter wheat grain yields in a long-term trial in Ivanovice, Czech Republic, established in 1956. A total of 15 seasons were evaluated. The mean, maximal, and minimal temperatures in Ivanovice have been significantly increasing since 1961, with annual increases of 0.04 °C, 0.03 °C, and 0.05 °C, respectively. Precipitation has been decreasing annually by −0.54 mm (trend is insignificant). Four significant correlations between weather and grain yield were recorded. There were positive correlations between mean (r = 0.7) and minimal (r = 0.5) temperatures in November and negative correlations between mean temperatures in May (r = −0.6) and June (r = −0.6). The combination of naturally fertile chernozem soil and a beneficial preceding crop (alfalfa) enables sustainable cultivation of wheat, even without mineral fertilizers. The application of mineral nitrogen (N) significantly increases wheat grain yield and yield stability. Without mineral N or with high doses of mineral N, yield stability decreases. According to two response models (quadratic and quadratic-plateau), a reasonable dose of fertilizer is 107 kg ha−1 N for modern wheat varieties, corresponding to a yield of 8.1 t ha−1.

Cytogenetic activity of a mutagenic factor with high damaging capacity in winter wheat

The analysis of cytological abnormalities is an important method for identifying the potential of a chemical as a mutagen for future heritable genetic changes, the level of genotype-mutagen interaction and site-specific activity for the nature and/or different concentrations of the mutagen. The research aims to determine the limits of the variability of genotypes of different origins, especially those with wide ecological and genetic variability, and to show the interaction between the variety and the mutagen. Winter wheat grains of several varieties (Balaton, Borovytsia, Zelenyi Hai, Zoloto Ukrainy, Kalancha, Niva Odeska, Polianka, Pochayna) were treated with dimethyl sulphate at concentrations of 0.0125%, 0.025%, 0.05%, and exposure was 24 hours. The cytogenetic activity was studied by the frequency and spectrum of chromosomal rearrangements in the corresponding phases of cell division, depending on the variety and concentration of the mutagen as the main factors affecting these parameters, as well as the main features of the spectrum, such as the overall rate of chromosomal rearrangements, the number of fragments and double fragments, bridges, micronuclei, and lagging chromosomes. The studied concentrations of the supermutagen were found to have a significant effect on all analysed parameters and can be classified as optimal and high concentration levels in terms of the effect on cytological activity and mitotic problems for the factor, despite previous studies. The variety factor has a much greater impact on the nature and frequency of certain types of aberrations than an increase in the mutagen concentration, it was characterised by a much greater site-specific effect than other chemical agents, and various variants in mutagenic effects were identified according to the subject’s genotype. It was generalised that the features that reproduced the effect of the mutagen, according to the discriminant analysis, were the total frequency, the frequency of fragments and double fragments, and bridges. In practical use in the genetic improvement of plants and for obtaining valuable traits, the optimal concentrations are 0.0125%, and 0.025%, which is planned to be further confirmed on a wider range of genotypes and by mutation studies for the next (second or third) generations

Ecological and economic efficiency of the agroforestry complex in the zone of chestnut soils of the Volgograd region

Light chestnut soils are the most vulnerable to external factors. In the system of balanced farming, an important place is occupied by the forest reclamation complex, which performs the ecological function of preserving and restoring degraded territories and soils. The zonal aspect of the impact of the agroforestry complex on soil and crops is poorly studied, the choice of criteria for assessing the impact on the agrolandscape causes discussion, there is no theory of rational land use, which determines the relevance of this work. Moreover, there are about 930 thousand hectares of low-productive degraded arable land in the Volgograd region. Therefore, the purpose of the research conducted from 2016 to 2022 was to study the environmental and economic efficiency of the agroforestry complex in the zone of chestnut soils. The research methodology is based on the developments of the GNU VNIIZiZPE, FGBNU VNIALMI, FGBNU "Rosinformagrotech", on the analysis and generalization of scientific literature, data obtained from three economic entities, with different options for agrotechnological and forest reclamation factors and control outside their impact zone. The normative values of the structure have been clarified, supplemented, and the ecological and economic efficiency of the agroforestry complex of the arid zone has been established. A high level of profitability of winter wheat grain production of 92.4-170.4% and a balance of agricultural production of 4 points were revealed, which, under the conditions of anthropogenic and climatic stress of agricultural production, ensures the formation of ecologically balanced agricultural landscapes and the implementation of the idea of rational farming and land use in areas of insufficient and deficient moisture.

Analyzing protein concentration from intact wheat caryopsis using hyperspectral reflectance

BackgroundWinter wheat grain samples from 185 sites across southern Shanxi region were processed and analyzed using a non-destructive approach. For this purpose, spectral data and protein content of grain and grain powder were obtained. After combining six types of preprocessed spectra and four types of multivariate statistical models, a relationship between hyperspectral datasets and grain protein is presented.ResultsIt was found that the hyperspectral reflectance of winter wheat grain and powder was positively correlated with the protein contents, which provide the possibility for hyperspectral quantitative assessment. The spectral characteristic bands of protein content in winter wheat extracted based on the SPA algorithm were proved to be around 350–430 nm; 851–1154 nm; 1300–1476 nm; and 1990–2050 nm. In powder samples, SG-BPNN had the best monitoring effect, with the accuracy of Rv2 = 0.814, RMSEv = 0.024 g/g, and RPDv = 2.318. While in case of grain samples, the SG-SVM model exhibited the best monitoring effect, with the accuracy of Rv2 = 0.789, RMSEv = 0.026 g/g, and RPDv = 2.177.ConclusionsBased on the experimental findings, we propose that a combination of spectral pretreatment and multivariate statistical modeling is helpful for the non-destructive and rapid estimation of protein content in winter wheat.Graphical

Aftereffect of Seven Years of Straw Handling on Soil Sustainability and Vitality

Straw, as organic material, contains macronutrients and a wide range of micronutrients. Properly treated straw can become a valuable source for soil improvement and crop nutrition needs. The field experiment was carried out at the Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, in 2014–2021 on Cambisol. On a shallow ploughless tillage background, eight treatments were investigated: chopped straw + ammonium nitrate (CSA), chopped straw + ammonium nitrate + NPK (CSA+F), chopped straw + microorganisms (CSM), chopped straw + microorganisms + NPK (CSM+F), straw removed, not fertilized (SR), straw removed, fertilized (SR+F), chopped straw, not fertilized (CS), chopped straw, fertilized (CS+F). We hypothesized that treatment of straw with microbiological products in combination with mineral NPK fertilizers is a more efficient technology than treatment/non-treatment of straw with ammonium nitrate, either with or without NPK fertilizers. The aim of this work was to investigate the aftereffects of seven years use of mineral NPK fertilizers and bioproducts containing soil bacteria and microscopic fungi (Bacillus megaterium, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, and Trichoderma reesei) in combination with straw management on soil sustainability (soil C sources, soil water release characteristics, pore-size distribution, aggregate stability, crop yielding capability) and soil vitality (CO2 exchange rate-NCER). It was revealed that NCER was highest in the treatment CSM+F (Bacillus megaterium, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, and Trichoderma reesei + NPK). It was 32.95% higher than in CSA (chopped straw without fertilizers) and 45.34% higher than in CSA+F (chopped straw + ammonium nitrate + NPK). Bioproducts applied favored soil vitality in general by exhibiting higher soil microbiological activity. As a result, a healthy and more viable Cambisol produced a higher winter wheat grain yield.