Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The Suitability of Different Winter and Spring Wheat Varieties for Cultivation in Organic Farming
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/58351
Farming system
Organic
Conventional
Crop rotation
potato
spring wheat ± undersown crop
clover and grasses (1 year)
clover and grasses (2 year)
w
inter wheat ± catch crop
winter rape
winter wheat
spring wheat
Seed dressing
-
+
Organic
fertilization
compost (30 t·ha
-1
) under potatoe + catch crop
winter rape straw,
w
inter wheat straw
Mineral
fertilization
(kg·ha
-1
)
based on soil testing, allowed P and K fertilizers in
form of natural rock were used: 150 kg of
potassium sulphate (75 kg K
2
O), phosphate rock
p
owder 150 kg (42 kg P
2
O
5
)
winter wheat: NPK (140+60+80)
spring wheat: NPK (70+60+45)
Fungicide
-
winter wheat: 2 - 3 x
spring wheat: 1 x
Growth regulators -
winter wheat: 2 x
s
pring wheat: 1 x
Weed control
winter wheat: harrowing 2-3 x
spring wheat: none (undersown clovers + grasess)
winter wheat: herbicide 2-3 x
spring wheat: harrowing 1x + herbicide 1x
Table 1.
Major elements of the agricultural practices of winter wheat and spring wheat cultivated in organic and
conventional farming systems
2009 was delayed, which limited the effectiveness of harrowing. Threefold harrowing of winter
wheat caused damage to plants. Late spring, lack of precipitation and night frosts until mid-
May disturbed the phases of tillering, stem elongation and earing. As a result, the density of
wheat canopies was low, which created favorable conditions for weeds. The weather condi‐
tions in the autumn of 2009 were suitable for growth and development of winter wheat. Snow
mould and frost till the end of April of 2010 had adverse effects on development of winter
wheat. Sparse wheat canopies competed worse with weeds. Growing season was characterized
by an unfavorable distribution of temperature and precipitation: dry April and heavy rains in
May (110 mm). High temperature and drought in June and July negatively affected yields of
spring wheat (Table 2).
Grain yield and components of its structure were estimated in 25m
2
plots in 8 replications.
Stem and leaves were scored for infestation rate with fungal pathogens at mik-dough stage
(BBCH 77-83). Forty individuals in 4 replications for each variety were taken for plant
pathology analysis purposes. Percentage of the disease-damaged leaf blade surface was
determined in accordance with the recommendations of the EPPO [19]. A 4-step infestation
scale was used to calculate the stem base infection index.
The number of weeds and their dry matter were assessed at dough stage of wheat (BBCH
85-87), on an area of 0.5 m
2
, in four replications for each variety. Moreover, the biometric
