SUITABILITY EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES SPRING WHEAT FOR CARBON FARMING

Abstract

The paper presents an assessment of the suitability of various genotypes (cultivars) of spring wheat for use in carbon farming. For these purposes, indicators of the carbon footprint and the balance of greenhouse gases in the cultivation of each of the genotypes were determined. The studies were carried out in 2022 on the experimental fields of the Kazan State Agrarian University, under conditions of sufficient moisture, especially in the first half of the plant growing season. Agrotechnology for cultivation of varieties was recommended for the area of the Pre-Kama region of the Republic of Tatarstan. The calculation of the carbon footprint (CFR) was carried out on the basis of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in kg of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 equivalent) per kg of product (grain). To determine the volume of greenhouse gas emissions, data on the consumption of fuel, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides were used, and direct and indirect N2O emissions associated with the mineralization of wheat plant residues were also taken into account. The objects of research were nineteen genotypes of spring wheat of domestic selection. In the conditions of 2022, the yield of various varieties of spring wheat fluctuated over a wide range (from 2.64 t/ha for the Tulaikovskaya 108 variety to 4.75 t/ha for the Ulyanovsk 105 variety), reaching an average of 3.76 t/ha for all varieties. The results of the assessment of the CFP value showed that on average it amounted to about 0.49 kg CO2 eq. per kg -1, and the coefficient of variation of the indicator for all varieties was 9.99%, which indicates a weak variability. The lowest carbon footprints were found in Khayat (0.40 kg CO2 eq/kg-1), Ulyanovskaia 105 and Ura-Losibirskaya 2 (0.42 kg CO2 eq/kg-1). For most of the studied spring wheat varieties, the greenhouse gas balance was negative (on average -386.08 kg CO2 eq. per ha). However, in the varieties Idelle, Tulaikovskaya Nadezhda and Zlata, the balance was positive, which is associated with the entry into the soil of a significant amount of plant residues and straw in these varieties. Thus, out of 19 varieties of spring wheat, only 3 have prospects for use in carbon farming. The results obtained confirmed the need to study the carbon footprint and balance of greenhouse gases when assessing spring wheat genotypes in breeding programs for carbon farming.