Spring Wheat Yield Research Articles

ВЛИЯНИЕ ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ БИОПРЕПАРАТОВ НА ОСНОВЕ РАЗЛИЧНЫХ ЭНДОФИТНЫХ БАКТЕРИЙ РОДА BACILLUS НА ФИТОПАТОГЕННЫЕ МИКРОМИЦЕТЫ И ПРОДУКТИВНОСТЬ ЯРОВОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ

The studies were conducted to assess the effect of using two biological biopreparations based on endophytic bacteria on phytopathogenic fungi and the productivity of spring wheat of the Ulyanovskaya 105 variety. The studies were carried out in years with both favorable (2020, 2022) and extremely dry (2021) moisture conditions during the growing season. Field experiments were laid on highly fertile gray forest soil in the Predkama zone of the Republic of Tatarstan. Bacillus monojavensis PS17 (endophytic seed bacterium) and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens RECB-95 (endophytic root and stem bacterium) bacteria were used as biological agents. Biopreparations based on these bacteria were used for seed treatment (rate of 1 l/t) and for spraying plants in the heading phase (1.0 l/ha). The control variant was without any treatments, and the standard was the scheme using chemical fungicides (seed treatment with Lamador (0.2 l/t), spraying with PropiShans (0.5 l/ha)). In laboratory conditions, high fungicidal activity of Bacillus mojavensis PS17 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens RECB-95 against Fusarium fungi was found. An advantage of using Bacillus amyloligurosine RECB-95 when treating spring wheat seeds in suppressing Fusarium infection in the soil of the root zone of plants was found. Both strains, when treated with seeds, suppressed the development of Cochliobolus sativus in the soil of the root zone of wheat plants. The most effective control of root rot at the early stages of spring wheat plant development was ensured by using the scheme with seed treatment with Bacillus mojavensis PS17. The use of biopreparations based on endophytic bacteria reduced the development of leaf mycoses of spring wheat, and no significant differences were noted between strains in terms of disease control efficiency. The strongest positive effect on the yield of spring wheat was exerted by the use of biopreparations based on endophytic bacteria under conditions of an extremely dry vegetation period. The maximum yield of spring wheat was ensured by the biological protection scheme with the endophytic bacterium of wheat seeds Bacillus mojavensis PS17.

The Possibility of Environmentally Sustainable Yield and Quality Management of Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) of the Cornetto Variety When Using Sapropel Extract

Sustainable development is one of the main directions of modern agriculture. First of all, sustainability in the agricultural sector can be achieved through the possible abandonment of traditional mineral fertilizers. Many decades of using these fertilizers have led to the degradation of arable soils and to soil and environmental pollution. As a result, this causes reductions in yields and the environmental quality of agricultural products and affects the health of the population. An alternative to traditional mineral fertilizers may be the use of innovative organomineral fertilizers obtained from local resources. These include manure, humus, compost, sediments, etc. In recent years, fertilizers obtained from the sapropels of the bottom sediments of lakes have become widespread. Their distinctive feature is the environmental friendliness and completeness of the content of chemical elements and substances necessary for the development and growth of plants. In addition, the methods of obtaining and applying these fertilizers allow us to talk about their effectiveness in use. The range of applications of these fertilizers is diverse, from use in the form of a dry extract applied directly to the soil to the use of liquid suspensions used at various stages of processing and from pre-sowing seed treatment to watering and spraying plants at different periods of vegetation. Moreover, an important aspect is the research work on the variational use of sapropel fertilizers on different crops, with different methods of production and concentrations and at different stages of processing. This publication contains the results of a study of the effect of the obtained innovative sapropel fertilizer on productivity, wheat grain quality, and economic efficiency (Triticum aestivum L.). To identify the optimal concentration of sapropel extract, laboratory studies were carried out to determine the germination energy and germination of wheat seeds of different varieties when they were soaked in various concentrations: 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6, and 2.0 g/L. The best indicators of germination energy and germination of wheat seeds during treatment with the extract were obtained at a concentration of 1.2 g/L. The research was conducted at an accredited variety testing laboratory. A field experiment was conducted in the fields of the agrobiological station of North Kazakhstan University named after Manash Kozybayev. The treatment of the seeds was carried out by soaking them in sapropel extract to evenly distribute the substance. The scheme of the field experiment included the option of using foliar treatment with a solution of sapropel extract at the tillering stage. As a result of the application of the obtained extract in the field, environmental and socio-economic efficiency was noted. The conducted field studies note its positive effect and effectiveness on the morphological, qualitative, and quantitative indicators of the wheat harvest. In the areas where wheat seeds were pretreated, as well as where foliar treatment with the resulting sapropel suspension was carried out, the best yield indicators were revealed. In these variants of the experiment with pre-sowing and pre-sowing and foliar treatment with the sapropel extract solution, the yield was 3.63 and 3.81 tons per hectare, respectively. The introduction of sapropel extract at the stage of seed treatment before sowing, as well as foliar processing of wheat at the tillering stage, will increase the efficiency and profitability of the agricultural industry and obtain a synergistic effect in the form of socio-economic efficiency and environmental safety of production. In our opinion, this will contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture and the production of environmental products.

Effects of Deficit Irrigation on Spring Wheat Lignification Process, Yield Productivity and Stalk Strength

Moderate deficit irrigation can improve lignin metabolism, thereby increasing wheat yield and lodging resistance. The moisture-sensitive variety Xinchun 22 (XC22) and drought-resistant variety Xinchun 6 (XC6) were used as experimental materials. We set mild drought (T1, J1 and 60–65% FC, where FC is the field capacity) and moderate drought (T2, J2 and 45–50% FC) during the tillering stage (T) and the jointing stage (J). We used conventional drip irrigation as a control (CK and 75–80% FC). The results show that the activity of lignin synthesis-related enzymes decreased with the growth process, while the accumulation and monomer content of lignin increased under different water treatments. The lignin metabolism and morphological characteristics of XC6 were higher than those of XC22. Under the same processing conditions, the indicators of XC22 showed more significant changes and were more sensitive to changes in the moisture content. Compared with other treatments, the stem thickness and wall thickness of the J1 treatment increased by 0.86–23.49% and 1.72–23.58%. The yield of the T1 treatment was the highest, increasing by 3.05–44.06% compared to other treatments. In addition, by improving PAL, H-type lignin monomers, S-type lignin monomers, stem thickness and lignin metabolism, grain yield can be increased. After mild drought during the jointing stage, J1 significantly improved the lignin metabolism capacity of the stem, increased stem thickness and wall thickness, and was beneficial for improving lodging resistance. The T1 treatment favored the improvement of the production capacity of assimilates, thus promoting a high yield of spring wheat.

ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ПРУТКОВО-КОЛЬЧАТОГО КАТКА В ПРОИЗВОДСТВЕННЫХ УСЛОВИЯХ

One of the methods of surface tillage is its rolling, which improves the contact of seeds with the soil and creates optimal porosity to provide the necessary amounts of moisture and air for plant seeds. The optimal parameters of the roller for high-quality soil rolling were determined. The new design of the rod-ring roller proposed by us was developed taking into account the guaranteed fulfillment of agrotechnical requirements. Production studies have shown that favorable conditions for seed development are created in the soil processed by the proposed roller, which contributes to the acceleration of plant development and the formation of a larger number of grains in an ear. The optimization criterion kko, taking into account the conformity of the soil to agrotechnical requirements both in density and in fractional composition after rolling crops with a rod-ring roller was 0.74, while a smooth water-filled roller provided kko = 0.63. The optimum value of kko is achieved at a specific pressure of the roller on the soil of 1533.3 N/m, a rotation frequency of the disks with rings of 1300 min1, a speed of the rod-ring roller of 15 km/h and a gear ratio of the passive drive of 5.21. The use of the roller developed by us for compacting the soil after sowing spring wheat led to an increase in the height of seedlings by 14.5% compared to the use of a conventional smooth water-filled roller on the 7th day. In addition, the use of the developed rod-ring roller increased the yield of spring wheat by 1.2 c/ha, which ensured an increase in yield by 7.4% compared to the control variant, in which a widely used smooth water-filled roller was used. Thus, the use of a rod-ring roller improves the quality of the soil and increases the yield of spring wheat by 1.2 c/ha, which is 7.4% more than when using a smooth waterfilled roller.

Effects of Recommended Fertilizer Application Strategies Based on Yield Goal and Nutrient Requirements on Drip-Irrigated Spring Wheat Yield and Nutrient Uptake

Excessive application of fertilizers in drip-irrigated wheat production can suppress yields, lower nutrient utilization efficiency, and lead to economic and environmental issues such as nitrogen residues in the soil. Based on a recommended fertilizer application (RF) strategy that takes into account target yield and nutrient requirements, this study explores the responses of wheat plant traits, changes in topsoil and subsoil nutrients, fertilizer utilization, and economic benefits under this strategy. From 2022 to 2023, a field experiment was conducted in a typical oasis spring wheat production area at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang. The treatments included no fertilizer control (CK), the farmer’s conventional practice (FP), recommended fertilizer (RF), RF with nitrogen omission (RF-N), phosphorus omission (RF-P), and potassium omission (RF-K). The results showed that compared with FP, the RF reduced 91 kg N ha−1 (30.3%) and 33 kg P2O5 ha−1 (24.8%) in 2022, and 69 kg N ha−1 (23.0%) and 2 kg P2O5 ha−1 (1.5%) in 2023. The effect in 2023 was better; RF also decreased the NO3−1-N residue in the 0–100 cm soil layer by 40.1 kg N ha−1 compared with FP, with no significant difference in wheat grain yield (RF: 5382.9 kg ha−1) or economic benefit (RF: USD 1613.1 ha−1). Furthermore, there were no significant differences between RF and FP in pre-anthesis NP transport or post-anthesis NP accumulation; however, RF significantly increased pre-anthesis potassium transport volume (15.8%) and transport rate (12.5%). RF led to a 16.3% increase in nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE), while there was no significant difference in phosphorus utilization efficiency (PUE) compared with FP. The fertilizer yield effect for RF was evaluated as N > P > K. Correlation analysis indicated that grain yield was significantly positively correlated with pre-anthesis NPK transport and post-anthesis NP accumulation. It was also positively correlated with organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen, and Olsen-P content in both the topsoil (0–20 cm) and subsoil (20–40 cm), but not with available potassium in the soil. Therefore, conducting soil tests and determining fertilizer recommendations based on the proposed RF method at harvest can reduce fertilizer usage and achieve a balance between the conflicting objectives of environmental protection, increased crop yields, nutrient utilization efficiency, and improved economic benefits in oasis agricultural areas facing excessive fertilizer application.

Enhancing Iron and Zinc Uptake in Spring Wheat Through Commercial Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation under Different Soil Phosphorus Addition Levels

Improving the concentrations and bioavailability of micronutrients, especially iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), in crop grains is important to alleviate their deficiencies in humans. Inoculating crops with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can potentially enhance soil nutrient supply and crop yield, but the effectiveness is influenced by soil factors, particularly soil phosphorus (P) availability. A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of a commercial AMF product on spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield and grain concentrations of Zn and Fe under different soil P addition levels (0, 5 and 20 mg P kg-1 dry soil). Results showed that AMF inoculation significantly increased root colonization rate of wheat across all P addition levels. Wheat growth, as evidenced by dry weights of shoot and grain, was significantly enhanced by AMF and high P addition treatments. AMF inoculation did not affect grain Zn concentration, but significantly increased grain Fe concentration compared to the un-inoculated control. As expected, P addition resulted in a significant reduction in grain concentrations of Fe and Zn, primarily due to a growth dilution effect. An integrated analysis using the radar plot concludes that AMF inoculation is most effective in increasing crop yield and grain micronutrient concentrations when soil P levels are low. Importantly, while adequate P supply is crucial for maintaining crop productivity, it may decrease grain micronutrient availability without complementary strategies.

Evaluation of efficiency of foliar nutrition of spring wheat in conditions of Zhytomyr district

The article presents the generalised results of 3 years of research on the influence of foliar fertilization on the yield of spring wheat when grown on sod- podzolic soil in the conditions of Right-Bank Polissya of Ukraine.

АНАЛИЗ ВЛИЯНИЯ МЕТЕОРОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ УСЛОВИЙ НА ПРОДУКТИВНОСТЬ ЯРОВОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ В 2023 ГОДУ НА ПРИМЕРЕ МЕТЕОРОЛОГИЧЕСКОЙ СТАНЦИИ ТАЙЫНША СЕВЕРО-КАЗАХСТАНСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

According to the results of the assessment about possible agricultural losses due to climate change, conducted as part of the preparation of the Seventh National Communication of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Climate Change, including for the North Kazakhstan region, where, according to the forecast, by 2050 a decrease in moisture supply during the growing season by 11...16 % and an increase in climate aridity by 10...15 % relative to current indicators are expected. As a result of such changes, this may lead to a decrease in the yield of spring wheat by 30...40 %. The aim of this study was to establish the relationship between the yield of Aviada spring wheat and meteorological conditions at the observation site of the Taiynsha meteorological station in the North Kazakhstan region for 2023. For this purpose, the actual meteorological parameters for the specified year were studied, such as temperature and precipitation, hydrothermal moisture coefficient (HTC), productive moisture reserves in the soil, sums of effective temperatures, as well as the growth and development characteristics of spring wheat of the Aviada variety during the vegetation period of 2023, its yield.It was found that insufficient precipitation during the critical phases of spring wheat development created stressful conditions during the grain ripening period, and, as a result, affected its yield.In addition, the shift of summer precipitation to August...September led to crop losses during and after harvesting. This article represents the results of the research internship that took place at Taiynsha meteorological station from May to August 2023.

The influence of cultivation technologies on the contamination of spring wheat crops and yield in the conditions of the Nizhny Novgorod region

The article presents the results of research of the influence of various cultivation technologies on the contamination of spring wheat crops and its yield for 2022–2023 in the conditions of the Nizhny Novgorod region on light gray loamy forest soil. There were studied the technologies various in methods of primary soil tillage (traditional, minimal – Mini-till, without tillage – No-till), and intensification level (basic, intensive). Spring wheat of the ʻZlataʼ cultivar was cultivated in the chain of rotation: clean fallow – peas - spring wheat. During the research period, it was established that the No-till technology contributed to an increase in the total contamination of spring wheat crops on an average for two years in the "tillering" phase (before herbicide treatment) to 36.2 pcs/m2 (84.7 % higher than the total contamination of wheat crops when cultivated using Mini-till technology and by 118.1 % –using traditional technology) and in the phase of "full grain ripeness" (before harvesting) up to 30.1 pcs/m2 (110.5 % higher than the total contamination of wheat crops cultivated using Mini-till technology and by 155.1 % according to traditional technology). It has been established that intensification of wheat production (application of mineral fertilizers in a dose of N70P50K50 before pre-sowing cultivation; using fungicide and herbicide in the "tillering" phase) results on average among studied technologies in decreasing the total contamination of crops during the "full grain ripeness" phase on average for two years up to15.7 pcs/m2 which is 38.2 % lower compared to the basic intensification degree of wheat cultivation technologies. It was found that the cultivation of spring wheat using traditional technology and Mini-till technology provides high yields: 3.09–3.43 t/ha, that is 0.63–0.96 t/ha higher than its yield when cultivated using No-till technology. There were no differences in the level of yield of spring wheat over the years of observation when cultivating it using traditional and Mini-till technologies. The intensification of spring wheat production makes it possible to increase the level of its yield for each of the studied technologies.

Influence of Hemp Residues on Soil Chemical Parameters and Spring Wheat Productivity

The utilization of hemp residues, obtained after the harvest of hemp flowers, is a potential soil amendment in crop cultivation that might enhance soil health, nutrient availability, and crop productivity. However, more research is required to choose the best agricultural practice for optimizing hemp residue degradations. This study aimed to determine the integrated effects of hemp residues in different soil tillage systems on spring wheat yield. The results of the two-year experiment show that under favorable climatic conditions and soil moisture contents, the highest spring wheat grain yield (6.0 t ha−1) is achieved in plots where hemp residues are plowed in autumn. Similar results are obtained in dry weather conditions, but the yield is lower by more than half—2.3 t ha−1. The influence of residues increases the C content in the soil. The findings advance our understanding of integrated agricultural practices through the utilization of hemp residues for promoting resilient and sustainable crop production systems.

ОТЗЫВЧИВОСТЬ СОРТОВ ПШЕНИЦЫ ПОЛБЫ НА РАСЧЕТНЫЕ ДОЗЫ И СОЧЕТАНИЕ МАКРОЭЛЕМЕНТОВ В УСЛОВИЯХ ПРЕДКАМЬЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ ТАТАРСТАН

In world agriculture, interest in growing filmy wheat varieties is growing from year to year. One of these types is double-grain wheat (Triticum dicoccum) spelt. This is due to the fact that the grain of this crop contains protein, which includes 18 essential amino acids. The aim of the study is to improve the technology of growing spelt varieties, to determine the parameters of removal of macronutrients from gray forest soils, as well as to clarify the calculated norms of fertilizer application. The research was conducted in 2021-2022 in the Republic of Tatarstan. Agrochemical characteristics of the soil of the experimental site: the humus content according to the Tyurin method is 3.6%, mobile phosphorus is 256...270 mg /kg, potassium is within 125...185 mg/kg according to the Kirsanov method. The acidity of the soil is close to neutral, with a pHsol index of 6.2. The object of research was double-layered spring wheat (spelt) of sample k-10456 and the Fleece variety. Experiments with fertilizers were carried out according to a five-step scheme (Wagner's method): 0; N7K15; N7P7; P7K15; N7P7K15. Against the calculated background of NPK nutrition for obtaining an average of 2.5 t/ha of grain in 2021-2022, the yield of spring wheat of the two-grain k-10456 variety was 2.78 t/ha, and the Fleece variety was 2.58 t/ha. The use of fertilizers made it possible to obtain spelt grains of a larger size, compared with the control. In addition, this did not lead to a significant decrease in the protein content of the grain. The use of mineral fertilizers in combination with N7K15, N7P7 and P7K15 contributed to an average yield increase of 9.7%, 10.2% and 14.6%, respectively. The application of N7P7K15 to spelt crops provided the largest increase in yield - by 0.42 t/ha or 18.6%.

Влияние минеральных удобрений в различных сочетаниях на урожайность и качество зерна яровой мягкой пшеницы в условиях Предкамья Республики Татарстан

The results of two-year experiments to study the effect on the yield and grain quality of spring soft wheat of a full dose of mineral fertilizers in various combinations for pre-sowing cultivation, as well as foliar top dressing at a dose of N30 in the tillering and milk ripeness phase are reported. Fertilizers increased grain yield to varying degrees and had different effects on the technological qualities of grain. According to the grain yield of spring wheat of the Ulyanovsk 105 variety, on average for 2 years, the best options were: N90P90K30 (an increase of 3,6 t /ha) and N30P90K30 + N30 with top dressing in the tillering phase (an increase of 3,71 t/ha). According to the Tulaykovskaya Nadezhda variety, the best is the introduction of a complete mineral fertilizer (N30P90K30) with one and two top dressing (an increase in yield of 0,53 and 0,57 t/ha). Mineral fertilizers had a positive effect on grain quality in both varieties of spring wheat. The grain quality of the Ulyanovsk 105 variety is significantly improved under the influence of fertilizers. The vitreous content of the grain in the control was 52% in 2022 and 64% in 2023. In all variants with fertilizer, it is in the range of 60,0-79,0% in 2022 and 68,5-75,9% in 2023. In the Tulaykovskaya Nadezhda variety, the vitreous content of grain in 2022 increased from 45% in the control to 49 ...60% in other variants, and in 2023, respectively, from 57 to 60 ... 71%. The content of the mass fraction of gluten in the grain of the control variant in 2022 was 17,1%, protein 10,5%. The use of fertilizers contributed to an increase in the amount of gluten to 28,8%, protein to 11,6...13,8%. A similar situation was observed in 2023. The highest content of protein and gluten in the grain of the harvest of 2022 and 2023. it was observed in the variant with one and two nitrogen fertilizers (13,5...13,8% and 14,5...14,9%), 26,0...28,8 % and 33,0...33,6%, respectively.

Sowing qualities and yield of durum spring wheat by the treatment of seeds with protectants

Sowing qualities and yield of durum spring wheat by the treatment of seeds with protectants

SPRING WHEAT IN THE DRY CLIMATE OF THE LOWER VOLGA REGION OF RUSSIA

Background. The growing of spring wheat in arid conditions is a difficult task because the biological characteristics of the crop and its demands on moisture reserves. The need for sowing spring wheat in the spring is dictated by the possible death of winter grains in winter. Purpose. To determine the most adaptive varieties of spring wheat with high yield and good quality for cultivation in the dry climate of the Lower Volga region of Russia. Methods. To achieve this goal, an environmental test of spring wheat varieties was carried out by us; the harvest results were processed by analysis of variance. To characterize weather conditions, the hydrothermal coefficient was calculated according to T.G. Selyaninov. An analysis of the ability of varieties to adapt to local climatic conditions was carried out using the coefficient of adaptability, stress resistance and compensatory ability of varieties. The graph was constructed and statistical data processing was carried out in Microsoft Excel 2008. Result. As a result of the research work, it was established that on average over three years of research, the highest yield of spring wheat was in the following varieties: Saratovskaya 73 -1.65 t/ha, Kamyshinskaya 3 - 1.32 t/ha, Bezenchukskaya 205 - 1, 4 t/ha. Processing of spring wheat harvest data are used by dispersion analysis made it possible to determine that the gross harvest of the crop is largely influenced by meteorological conditions, up to 42.0%, the choice of variety is about 19.7%, and agrotechnological and other environmental factors are 38.2%. It can be noted that spring soft wheat in the conditions of the Lower Volga region is capable of producing grain yields of good quality with large grains from 31.2 to 36.4 g of 1000 grains. Analysis of indicators of the level of resistance to drought conditions shows that the most stress-resistant varieties are: Zinaida - 0.06 t/ha, Kamyshinskaya 3 - 0.24 t/ha, Albidum 188 - 0.24. The varieties that have the highest genetic flexibility in the conditions of the Lower Volga region are: Saratovskaya 73 - 1.72 t/ha, Bezenchukskaya 205 - 1.5 t/ha and Kamyshinskaya 3 - 1.32 t/ha. The spring wheat varieties Bezenchukskaya 205 have the highest responsiveness to changes in crop growth conditions - 0.12, Dobrynya is in second place - 0.14, Albidum is in third place, Kamyshinskaya 3 - 0.15. The adaptability coefficient is higher than 1 in the varieties Albidum 188, Kamyshinskaya 3, Saratovskaya 73, Prokhorovka, Zinaida. Conclusion. The varieties Saratovskaya 73 and Kamyshinskaya 3 are distinguished by yield, stress tolerance, genetic adaptability to dry climate.

The Impact of RHT Gene Alleles on the Yield of Spring Wheat Under Drought Conditions

The Impact of RHT Gene Alleles on the Yield of Spring Wheat Under Drought Conditions

Multifunctional Effect of Triterpenoid-Based Growth Regulators on Wheat Plants

The information on the biological role of triterpenoids in plants, possible mechanisms of the phytoregulatory action of triterpenoids and their glycosides is summarized, the physiological and biochemical aspects of the action of plant growth regulators (PGR) based on tritepenoids: Silk, Biosil, Novosil, Alfastim, etc. on wheat plants in different phases of ontogenesis under normal conditions and under the action of stress factors are considered. Data on the effect of these PGR on the incidence of phytopathogens, yield and grain quality of winter and spring wheat are presented.

Importance of Providing Soils with Mobile Potassium in Increasing the Yield and Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizers

The results of a study devoted to the study of the effect of the content of mobile potassium in various soils on the yield of major crops and the effectiveness of the use of nitrogen fertilizers for them are presented. According to the data obtained, the availability of mobile potassium in soils plays a very significant role in increasing the yield of cereals, potatoes and flax. To the greatest extent, this affected sod-podzolic soils, on which the yield increase was higher due to an increase in their potash level and a higher return on nitrogen fertilizers. Among the studied crops, winter wheat stood out, which reacts better than others not only to an increase in the K2O content in the soil, but also in general to their agrochemical cultivation. On sod-podzolic and gray forest soils, its yield increased 3 times, on leached chernozems – 2.5 times, whereas on the same soils, the yield of spring wheat increased 1.2–1.3 times, potatoes – 1.5 times and flax, depending on the predecessor – 1.7–1.9 times. The dependence of the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers on the content of mobile potassium in soils has been established.

The impact of climate and potassium nutrition on crop yields: Insights from a 30-year Swiss long-term fertilization experiment

Climate change will strongly influence agricultural practices in the future. In order to promote resource-efficient agriculture, it is important to analyse the impact of climate variation on crop yields. In this study, we report yields of spring wheat, winter barley, maize, potato and sugar beet from the long-term crop rotation and fertilization experiment Demo in Switzerland and analyze their response to different climate variables (e.g., annual and seasonal temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration, number of heat days and days of heavy rainfall). In addition, we investigate the impact of readily plant-available soil potassium (K) on the relationship of crop yields and precipitation. Annual and summer temperatures increased by 1 °C and 1.5 °C, respectively, over the observation period, and both the number of heat days and days of heavy rainfall increased in summer. Rising summer temperatures have a negative impact on all crop yields, which was most prominent for spring wheat, potato and maize. Annual, spring and summer precipitation show varying effects on different crops. For maize, soil K has a mediating effect on yield reductions under low spring precipitation. Yields are significantly reduced by 1 t ha−1 per 100 mm reduction of precipitation below a soil K threshold of 7 mg K kg−1 soil. Based on these results and the future climate scenarios for Switzerland, crop rotations with less heat-sensitive species and early-maturing varieties should be considered. In order to keep future irrigation demands and costs as low as possible, the soil K fertility classes in the Swiss K fertilization guidelines might need to be revisited. Our study is one of a few long-term observations that show the impact of climate variation on crop yields and highlights the potential of K management as a climate change adaptation measure.

Unstable State of Hydrologic Regime and Grain Yields in Northern Kazakhstan Estimated with Tree-Ring Proxies

Changes in the hydrologic regime impose great challenges for grain production. We investigated the impact of dry and wet extremes on the recent losses of crops in Severo-Kazakhstanskaya Oblast (SKO), where 25% of Kazakhstan’s wheat is produced. We reconstructed the Palmer Drought Severity Index (June–August PDSI) and average grain yields (with an explained variance of 48% and 44%, respectively) using five tree ring width chronologies. The extended history of the moisture variability and yields of spring wheat, oats, and barley shows the strong impact of hydrology, rather than the heat, on the grain production. We defined three distinctive hydrologic regimes in SKO: (1) 1886–1942, (2) 1943–1977, (3) 1978–2023. The early regime had fewer drought events, including some that covered a single year. Their duration increased up to 3 years in the second period. The latest regime is an extreme mode of hydrologic variability with events abruptly switching from extremely dry to extremely wet conditions (called “whiplash”). The 21st century regime signifies that the intensified and prolonged decade-long drought transitioned into pluvial condition. The new regime created sizable instability for grain producers. This crop yield reconstruction denotes the potential of the tree-ring proxy for understanding the impact of climate change on the agriculture and food security of Central Asia.

Enhanced radiation use efficiency and grain filling rate as the main drivers of grain yield genetic gains in the CIMMYT elite spring wheat yield trial

Common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major staple food crop, providing a fifth of food calories and proteins to the world’s human population. Despite the impressive growth in global wheat production in recent decades, further increases in grain yield are required to meet future demands. Here we estimated genetic gain and genotype stability for grain yield (GY) and determined the trait associations that contributed uniquely or in combination to increased GY, through a retrospective analysis of top-performing genotypes selected from the elite spring wheat yield trial (ESWYT) evaluated internationally during a 14-year period (2003 to 2016). Fifty-six ESWYT genotypes and four checks were sown under optimally irrigated conditions in three phenotyping trials during three consecutive growing seasons (2018–2019 to 2020–2021) at Norman E. Borlaug Research Station, Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. The mean GY rose from 6.75 (24th ESWYT) to 7.87 t ha−1 (37th ESWYT), representing a cumulative increase of 1.12 t ha−1. The annual genetic gain for GY was estimated at 0.96% (65 kg ha−1 year−1) accompanied by a positive trend in genotype stability over time. The GY progress was mainly associated with increases in biomass (BM), grain filling rate (GFR), total radiation use efficiency (RUE_total), grain weight per spike (GWS), and reduction in days to heading (DTH), which together explained 95.5% of the GY variation. Regression lines over the years showed significant increases of 0.015 kg m−2 year−1 (p < 0.01), 0.074 g m−2 year−1 (p < 0.05), and 0.017 g MJ−1 year−1 (p < 0.001) for BM, GFR, and RUE_total, respectively. Grain weight per spike exhibited a positive but no significant trend (0.014 g year−1, p = 0.07), whereas a negative tendency for DTH was observed (− 0.43 days year−1, p < 0.001). Analysis of the top ten highest-yielding genotypes revealed differential GY-associated trait contributions, demonstrating that improved GY can be attained through different mechanisms and indicating that no single trait criterion is adopted by CIMMYT breeders for developing new superior lines. We conclude that CIMMYT’s Bread Wheat Breeding Program has continued to deliver adapted and more productive wheat genotypes to National partners worldwide, mainly driven by enhancing RUE_total and GFR and that future yield increases could be achieved by intercrossing genetically diverse top performer genotypes.