Winter cereals are of great national importance, so the technology of caring for these crops must take plant needs in the course of ontogeny into account as fully as possible. A particularly important period is from the resumption of vegetation to the start of stem elongation.
In unstable weather, plants may be under stress because they cannot absorb enough phosphorus from cold soil. At this time cereal plants form important yield components, so the yield level depends on the conditions in which these processes take place.
According to trial results in different natural and climatic zones of our country and at different levels of moisture and main nutrient supply, foliar feedings with fertilizers with phosphorus in the form of phosphite had the most pronounced effect (tables 1 and 2 and photo).
| Indicators | Feeding variants | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control | Gros Phosphito-NP 2.0 l/ha | Ecoline Phosphite (K) 2.0 l/ha | Ecoline Phosphite (K-Amino) 2.0 l/ha | |
| Plant density, pcs/m2 | 400 | 500 | 520 | 520 |
| Productive stem density, pcs/m2 | 540 | 740 | 760 | 720 |
| Productive tillering coefficient | 1.35 | 1.48 | 1.46 | 1.38 |
| Plant weight, g/m2 | 3940 | 5120 | 4890 | 4670 |
| Grain yield, c/ha | 26 | 34,1 | 32,5 | 32,1 |
Table 2. Interim assessment results on wheat crops grown under balanced macronutrient and moisture supply (Korets district, Rivne region).
| Indicators | Control | Variant 1 | Variant 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecoline Phosphite (K) 1.0 l/ha | Ecoline Phosphite (K) 1.0 l/ha + Ecoline Cereal (Chelates) 1.0 l/ha | Ecoline Phosphite (K-Amino) 1.0 l/ha + Ecoline Cereal (Chelates) 1.0 l/ha | |
| Productive stem density, pcs/m2 | 500 | 520 | 560 |
| Plant weight, g/0.33 linear m. | 195 | 252 | 259 |
| Spikelet weight, g/0.33 linear m. | 77 | 107 | 123 |
| Grain yield, c/ha | 52,9 | 61,4 | 64,2 |
Foliar application of phosphorus in the form of phosphite, which plants take up quickly, promotes intensive growth of the root system, restrains the development of disease agents and enhances the efficiency of photosynthesis, ultimately raising the yield level. For spring 2018, considering weather conditions and the state of plant development, and taking into account the results of practical use last year, we recommend:
- On crops where plant condition is generally satisfactory and there are no signs of stress, carry out the first foliar feeding with Ecoline Phosphite (K) at 1.0–1.5 l/ha;
- On areas where a deficiency of individual nutrients is established, feed with the tank mix Ecoline Phosphite (K) 1.0–1.5 l/ha + Ecoline Cereal (Chelates), or Ecoline Magnesium (Chelates) 1.0–1.5 l/ha. In case of copper, manganese, zinc or iron deficiency, use chelate fertilizers with the maximum content of the needed element at doses from 0.5 to 1.5 l/ha;
- On areas with poorly developed plants and those in a state of stress, it is better to use Ecoline Phosphite (K-Amino) at 1.0–1.5 l/ha or Gros Rootgrowth at 1.5 l/ha for the first feeding.