108(3)_str 26

ISSN 1392-3196 / e-ISSN 2335-8947
Zemdirbyste-Agriculture, vol. 108, No. 3 (2021), p. 203–208
DOI 10.13080/z-a.2021.108.026

Optimization of nitrogen fertilisation of winter wheat

Gediminas STAUGAITIS, Kazimieras POŠKUS, Zita BRAZIENĖ, Virgilijus PALTANAVIČIUS

Abstract

The experiment with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown under intensive cultivation technology was carried out in 2018–2020 on a Calcaric Luvisol. The aim of the research was to determine the optimal rates of nitrogen (N) fertilisers for winter wheat linking them with the grain yield and quality and the concentration of mineral N in the soil.

The results of the experiment showed that N fertilisers improved the nutritional value and technological properties of winter wheat grain. Fertilisation with the maximum N₂₄₀ rate yielded the highest crude protein and gluten content with the highest sedimentation. The highest grain yield – 7.66 t ha^-1 on average, was obtained by fertilising at a rate of N₁₈₀; however, the difference in grain yield was as little as 0.52 t ha^-1 compared to the N₁₂₀ rate. When fertilising at the rates of N₁₈₀ and N₂₄₀ after harvesting, a lot of unused nitrate nitrogen – 63.8 and 77.5 kg ha^-1 N-NO₃ on average, remained in the 0–60 cm soil layer, while the control plots contained 38.0 kg ha^-1. Assessment of the nutritional value and technological properties of the grain showed that the optimal rate of N fertiliser for winter wheat was N_180, and considering the potential pollution of nitrates to the environment it was N₁₂₀.

Key words: nitrogen fertilisers, mineral nitrogen, yield, grain quality.

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