Katarzyna Wojtkowiak

Comparison of the phenolic compounds, carotenoids and tocochromanols content in wheat grain under organic and mineral fertilization regimes.

A field study was performed to evaluate the effect of mineral (NPK) and organic-based fertilizers such as compost (C), manure (FYM) and meat and bone meal (MBM) on the appearance (dimensions and color) of spring wheat kernels and on the total content in grain of main its phytochemicals (polyphenols, carotenoids and tocochromanols) and phenolic acids composition. Total phenolic compounds were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay after alkaline hydrolysis of grain and carotenoids were analyzed spectrophotometrically. Composition of tocochromanols and phenolic acids was determined using RP-HPLC techniques. Only insignificant differences in the appearance of kernels and small changes in the content and composition of grain phytochemicals were noted between the studied fertilization systems. Among the analyzed phytochemicals the greatest variation was observed in the group of polyphenol compounds, with a stated increase of their total content of 6.7 and 11.2% in grain fertilized with MBM and compost, respectively. Simultaneously the grain from organic fertilization contained significantly less phenolic acids, and the decrease in their content ranged from 10.0% for FYM to 24.8% for MBM+EM-1. Organically and conventionally fertilized grain had similar amounts of tocochromanols and carotenoids. Comparison of MBM and MBM+EM-1 variants showed that application of effective microorganisms decreased carotenoids and tocochromanols content by 8.5 and 9.7%, respectively.

Composition of gluten proteins in spring and winter wheat grain cultivated under conditions of varied fertilization

The composition of protein fractions, particularly gluten protein, determines the nutritional values and baking properties of wheat grain. The baking characteristics of grain are strongly related to the quantity of monomeric gliadins and polymeric glutenins. Their accumulation and proportions impact the viscosity, porosity, and degree of rising in baking. These properties determine the applications of wheat in the baking industry. The changes in protein composition are mainly influenced by the genotype, the environment, and the interactions between the genotype and the environment and fertilization. The presented results of the studies refer to the impact of fertilization using waste products (meat bone meals, MBMs) originating from the recycling industry, in comparison to organic and mineral fertilizers, on the technological quality of spring and winter wheat based on the proportion of gluten proteins. The content of gluten proteins, particularly high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight glutenins, in the protein of the examined spring and winter wheat cultivars increased with manure and bone meat meal fertilization, both with and without the addition of effective microorganisms. The grain of the Tybalt spring wheat cultivar had a low content of the harmful α/β-gliadin subunits in relation to the examined wheat cultivars under the influence of fertilization. Fertilization with compost generated a beneficial ratio of the most desired HMW glutenins to the total content of gluten proteins in spring wheat. The evaluated fertilizers (MBM, organic fertilizers) and the addition of microbiological preparations to MBM have good fertilizing properties by making the soil nutrients available to plants.

Effect of foliar application of Cu, Zn, and Mn on yield and quality indicators of winter wheat grain

Micronutrients are part of many crucial physiological plant processes. The combined application of N and micronutrients helps in obtaining grain yield with beneficial technological and consumer properties. The main micronutrients needed by cereals include Cu, Mn, and Zn. The subject of this study was to determine yield, quality indicators (protein content and composition, gluten content, grain bulk density, Zeleny sedimentation index, and grain hardness), as well as mineral content (Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe) in winter wheat grain (Triticum aestivum L.) fertilized by foliar micronutrient application. A field experiment was carried out at the Educational and Experimental Station in Tomaszkowo, Poland. The application of mineral fertilizers (NPK) supplemented with Cu increased Cu content (13.0%) and ω, α/β, and γ (18.7%, 4.9%, and 3.4%, respectively) gliadins in wheat grain. Foliar Zn fertilization combined with NPK increased Cu content (14.9%) as well as high (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) glutenins (38.8% and 6.7%, respectively). Zinc fertilization significantly reduced monomeric gliadin content and increased polymeric glutenin content in grain, which contributed in reducing the gliadin:glutenin ratio (0.77). Mineral fertilizers supplemented with Mn increased Fe content in wheat grain (14.3%). It also significantly increased protein (3.8%) and gluten (4.4%) content, Zeleny sedimentation index (12.4%), and grain hardness (18.5%). Foliar Mn fertilization increased the content of ω, α/β, and γ gliadin fractions (19.9%, 9.5%, and 2.1%, respectively), as well as HMW and LMW glutenins (18.9% and 4.5%, respectively). Mineral NPK fertilization, combined with micronutrients (Cu + Zn + Mn), increased Cu and Zn content in grain (22.6% and 17.7%, respectively). The content of ω, α/β, and γ gliadins increased (20.3%, 10.5%, and 12.1%, respectively) as well as HMW glutenins (7.9%).

Nutrient content, fat yield and fatty acid profile of winter rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) grown under different agricultural production systems

Quality features of rapeseeds (Brassica napus L.) and potential for high yielding to a major extent may be defined by improvements in agricultural engineering methods that encompass biological progress. However, this is associated with intense fertilization and application of large amounts of pesticides, which may negatively impact on environment and may decrease quality of produced food. It is thus essential to develop and improve edible oil production systems to satisfy farmer and non-threatening consumer. The aim of this study was to evaluate content of nutrients, fat yield and fatty acid profile of rapeseed grown in 5-yr monoculture and after a 4-yr break in the crop rotation system with three levels of agricultural inputs. Three levels of technologies were used: economically (low-input), moderately intensively (medium-input) and intensively (high-input), varied in N amount and S fertilization as well as protection against pests. The medium- and high-input technologies applied in the monoculture contributed to an increased percentage of oleic acid in rapeseeds (by 5.7% and 5.5%), whereas low-input and high-input technologies resulted in an increased percentage proportion of linoleic (by 11.6% and 2.1%) and linolenic acid (by 6.6% and 5.0%) in the monoculture rapeseeds. The medium-input level generated an increased proportion of arachidic (from 6.9% to 15.0%), octadecanoic (by 4.9%), linoleic (by 7.0%), linolenic (by 5.1%) and eicosadienoic fatty acids (by 17.7%) in rapeseeds cultivated in the crop rotation system. The increase in technological input level significantly changed the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to linoleic and linolenic acids by 5.1% and 7.4% in both the crop rotation and by 4.2% and 7.9% monoculture systems. In general, the impact of winter rapeseed in crop sequence systems was found to have an insignificant impact on the content of macronutrients and trace elements in seeds. The highest fat yield was generated with the crop rotation system at the highest input level, whereas the lowest yield was recorded in the low-input monoculture technology.

Crop yield and micronutrient contents (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) in spring wheat grain depending on the fertilization method

This study analyzed the effectiveness of the application method and nitrogen dose with and without the addition of multi-component fertilizers in various development phases of spring wheat on grain yield and micronutrient concentration (Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe) in the grain and their removal with the crop. A three-year field experiment involving the cultivation of Parabola and Radunia spring wheat cultivars was conducted in the years 2009-2011 at the Educational and Experimental Station of the University of Warmia in Mazury in Olsztyn. The research factors included two cultivars of spring wheat as well as varied levels and methods of fertilization. An increase in the nitrogen dose from 80 to 120 kg∙ha-1 only increased the grain yield for Parabola cultivar, and the highest yield was obtained by supplementing the basic fertilization with Azofoska fertilizer. The grains of Parabola wheat cultivar were characterized by higher Cu and Zn contents, and greater removal of Cu and Zn with the grains, as well as a lower Mn content as compared with Radunia cultivar. Fertilization with nitrogen at a dose of 80 kg∙ha-1 contributed to an increase in Cu concentration in grains and Cu uptake with the crop for Parabola wheat cultivar, which resulted from both to-the-soil and foliar fertilization with urea and foliar fertilization with urea and Ekolist Mikro Z fertilizer. An increase in the dose of applied nitrogen up to 120 kg∙ha-1 resulted in an increase in Fe content in grains of wheat cultivar Parabola, and greater removal of Fe with the grain crop for both cultivars. Fertilization with ammonium nitrate as well as to-the-soil and foliar fertilization with urea contributed to the highest concentration of Fe in grains and Fe uptake with the crop for both Parabola and Radunia cultivars. Correlation coefficient r indicated a positive correlation between the content of Mn and Cu content in the grain. The Zn content was positively correlated with Mn content in the grain of both cultivars. Noteworthy is the strong correlation between Zn content and Mn content, with r = 0.874 for Parabola cultivar, and r = 0.868 for Radunia cultivar, respectively.

Variability of mineral nitrogen contents in soil as affected by meat and bone meal used as fertilizer

In recent years, a number of alternative sources of organic matter have been discovered, such as producis made of waste materials and recycled into composts or as meal of meat and bone. Meat and bone meal, a by-product of the meat industry, is rich in N and P and hence it can be a viable alternative to mineral fertilizers. This study determined the direct effect of different doses of meat and bone meal (MBM) used as fertilizer on the content of mineral N in soil. The effect of MBM fertilizer applied at rates of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 t ha-1 was compared with no fertilization. The experiment was conducted in the years 2007-2009 at the research station in Balcyny, Poland. MBM was applied every year for 3 yr, with the following crop sequence: 2007 winter wheat (T. aestivum), 2008 winter rape (Brassica rapa L. subsp. oleifera (DC.) Metzg.), and 2009 spring wheat. Determination of mineral N (NO3--N and NH4+-N) were taken from the 0-30 cm layer, each year, during the full plant vegetation. The study found that changes in the mineral N content in soil depended on the dose of MBM and the crop species in a sequence. Each 0.5 t of MBM above 1.0 t ha-1 increased the mineral N content by an average of 4 mg. MBM applied every year at 2.0 and 2.5 t ha-1 produced a 2.33- and 2.56-fold increase in the mineral N content compared to unfertilized soil. The rate of release of NO3--N was found to be the highest at those sites in all the years of study, while that of NH4+-N was highest during the first 2 yr of study. The levels of NO3--N lay within the range of very low fertility. A strong correlation was found between NO3--N and NH4+-N content in soil and the N content in winter and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain and in winter rapeseed (Brassica rapa L. subsp. oleifera (DC.) Metzg.) The NO3--N and NH4+-N compounds released from MBM were a good source of N for the plants.