Maria Şandor

Potassium Effects on Wheat Yield and Quality in Long-Term Experiments on Luvisol in Romania

Wheat needs a substantial amount of potassium for optimal growth; adequate fertilization improves the efficiency of photosynthesis, water-use efficiency and resistance to disease. In Romania, potassium fertilizers have been less used and less well researched than nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers. We discuss the effect of potassium on wheat yield and quality in a long-term field experiment on Haplic luvisol at the Agricultural and Development Research Station at Oradea, Romania. Four levels of potassium were applied on four nitrogen/phosphate backgrounds. Under these conditions, wheat yield and quality are maximized by balanced fertilization with optimum potassium management; different levels of potassium produced significant variation in wheat yield, protein and gluten content; the best performance was achieved with 80 kgK/ha.

IRRIGATION INFLUENCE ON WATER CONSUMPTION, YIELD AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY IN POTATO IN THECRI?URILOR PLAIN CONDITIONS

The paper is based on the research results obtained during 2001-2005 in Oradea in the long term trial placed on preluvosoil in 1976. During the vegetation period of the potato, the following quantity of the rainfall were registered: 426.2 mm in 2001, 210.4 mm in 2002, 165.4 mm in 2003, 359.6 mm in 2004 and 335.2 mm in 2005. To maintain the soil water reserve on 0-75 cm between easily available water content and field capacity, the irrigation rate used was of 40.0 mm in 2001, 271.0 mm in 2002, 287.0 mm in 2003, 157.5 mm in 2004 and 65.0 mm in 2005. Irriation determined the increase of the values of the water consumption with 7.4% (618.2 mm vs 575.7 mm) in 2001, with 48.9% (526.2 mm vs 353.4 mm) in 2002, with 79.2% (585.5 mm vs 326.8 mm) in 2003, with 26.0% (632.0 mm vs 500.8 mm) in 2004 and 17% (580.6 mm vs 496.5 mm) in 2005.