Drumova O. Optimization of technological methods to increase the yield and quality of winter wheat grain in the Northern Steppe

The object of research– processes of growth, development, formation of yield and grain quality of soft winter wheat varieties depending on predecessors, nitrogen dressing and terms of its application in the Northern Steppe. The aim of the research – to improve the cultivation technology of soft winter wheat with improved grain quality by optimizing the nitrogen nutrition of plants on black fallow and after sunflower in the Northern Steppe. Research methods – the following methods were used in the research: field (phenological observations, biometric measurements of winter wheat plants, crop accounting); laboratory (study of the content of soluble carbohydrates in plants, grain quality); estimated (economic efficiency). Statistical processing of the obtained data was carried out by methods of analysis of variance and correlation. Results – According to three years research results, technological methods have been developed to increase winter wheat yield and grain quality, their use in the Northern Steppe allows to obtain food grain of the second class quality (for Nyva Odeska and Uzhynok varieties) and the third class (for Kokhanka variety) with yields at the level 6.2–6.5 t/ha when grown after black fallow and 4.1–4.6 t/ha – after sunflowers, and ensures good economic results. The obtained data was used to develop recommendations on winter crops cultivation, tested in production and implemented on Dnipropetrovsk region farms on area of 1.2 thousand hectares. Novelty – In Ukraine in recent years significant production increase takes place for profitable, economically viable, but undesirable from an agronomic point of view crops, including sunflowers. This leads to a significant expansion of winter wheat crops after such predecessors. To achieve stable yields of high-quality under these circumstances grain crops technological support must include the application of fertilizing system, and plants nitrogen nutrition regulation is cruicial. In conditions of the Northern Steppe for the first time we studied soft winter wheat yield and grain quality formation patterns (varieties Kohanka, Nyva Odeska and Uzhynok) and their dependence on different types of nitrogen fertilizer (ammonium nitrate, UAN-32, ammonium sulfate) in autumn and spring vegetation after black fallow and after sunflower. The existing methods of winter wheat growing technology in the steppe zone have been improved, which ensure the production at the level and over 4.0 t/ha of second – third quality class food grain after non-fallow predecessors. We further developed scientific approaches to justification of winter wheat plants' growth and development patterns, soluble carbohydrates accumulation and consumption, productivity formation under unstable weather conditions and abnormal meteorological phenomena increase during vegetation. Field – agricultural science and food supply.