Małgorzata Warechowska

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.