Influence of nitrogen top dressing and application of different foliar fertilizers on winter wheat productivity traits

Abstract

Wheat is the main arable crop, grown on about 220 million hectares worldwide. Fertilization is one of the most important factors determining crops productivity and its most important characteristics. Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) uptake from the soil large amounts of mineral elements during the growing season and it has a high soil fertility requirement, and nitrogen (N) remarkably contributes to grain yield formation. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of N top dressing (54 kg ha-1 N, added as CAN mineral fertilizer) and the combination of nitrogen and different foliar fertilizers: Fitofert Speed G (3 l ha-1), Slavol (7 l ha-1) and Wuxal super (7 l ha-1) on some parameters of productivity and morphological characteristics of the winter wheat variety Farinelli. The field trial was carried out in 2022/2023 growing season under the agro-ecological conditions of Zaječar, Serbia, on Vertisol soil type. Control treatment received no fertilization. Standard agricultural techniques were applied as in regular winter wheat cultivation. Stem height was increased under all treatments in comparison to control (59.3 cm), whilst the highest plants were recorded under treatment with combination of N and foliar fertilizer Wuxal super (67.5 cm). In each of fertilization treatments plants had 6 internodes, and this number was much higher than 4 internodes recorded in control. The highest number of spikes per m2 was obtained in the treatment with N and foliar fertilizer Fitofert Speed G while the lowest was recorded in the control (491 and 432 spikes per m2, respectively).