YIELD OF WINTER BARLEY DEPENDING ON MINERAL NUTRITION

Abstract

The article presents the results of studies of the influence of mineral fertilizers on the yield of winter barley in the Western Forest-Steppe. It has been found that grain yield depends on providing plants with mineral nutrients throughout the growing season. The results of scientific research on the influence of mineral nutrition on seed germination, plant survival during the growing season, grain yield and structure of winter barley cultivated on gray podzolic soils in the Western Forest-Steppe are described. The authors of the research studied different doses of mineral fertilizers: 1) without fertilizers (control); 2) N30Р30К30; 3) N60Р60К60; 4) N90Р90К90. A decrease in field germination by 1.1–2.3 %, with an increase in the level of mineral nutrition was determined. The positive effect of mineral fertilization on the survival of winter barley has been proved. The lowest level of plant survival was in the areas without fertilizers, and the highest – under application of mineral fertilizers in the norm N90Р90К90. The positive effect of fertilization on the number of productive stems, the weight of grain from the ear and the number of grains in the ear was demonstrated. A positive correlation was established between fertilizer and the number of grains in the ear (r = 0.96) and fertilizer and grain weight from the ear (r = 0.77). It was found that the studied rates of fertilizers were effective for the nutritional regime of winter barley agrocenosis in the Western Forest-Steppe. The optimal dose of fertilizers which ensures maximum grain yield was determined. Application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (Р90К90) for plowing and nitrogen (N30+30+30) in three steps: during the restoration of spring vegetation, in the phase of tube emergence and earing provided a significant increase in yield as compared to control (without fertilizers) and options N30Р30К30 and N60Р60К60.