Yield and quality of winter wheat grain under different cultivation technologies

Purpose. Study of the influence of preceding crops and sowing terms on the yield and quality of winter wheat grain. Methods. The study analyzed 11 varieties of soft winter wheat, ‘Podolianka’, ‘MIP Yuvileina’, ‘MIP Fortuna’, ‘MIP Roksolana’, ‘MIP Feieriia’, ‘MIP Vidznaka’, ‘MIP Nika’, ‘MIP Darunok’, ‘MIP Aelita’, ‘MIP Aurika’ and ‘MIP Dovira’. The study investigated the impact of preceding crops (soybean, sunflower, corn/MWR, green manure (white mustard), and mustard/seed) and sowing dates (25 September, 5 and 15 October) on grain yield and baking quality. Results. The research was conducted in 2021–2023 on the experimental fields of the V. M. Remeslo Myronivka Institute of Wheat. The weather conditions were characterized by high tempe­ratures and uneven precipitation. The highest winter wheat yields were obtained after green manure as a preceding crop (7.29 t/ha), and the lowest yields after sunflower (5.35 t/ha). Shifting the sowing date from 25 September to 15 October reduced the average yield of the varieties. The only exception to the results were those obtained after crops such as sunflower and mustard when sown on 5th October, which yielded 5.54 and 6.51 t/ha respectively. The highest yields (6.39–6.95 t/ha) were observed for the varieties ‘MIP Darunok’, ‘MIP Aurika’, ‘MIP Aelita’ and ‘MIP Vidznaka’. Higher protein, gluten and sedimentation values were observed after green manure and soya as a preceding crop; in addition, after soya there was a tendency to increase flour strength and bread volume. The aforementioned shift in sowing date also resulted in a decrease in bread volume and an increase in vitreousness; the remaining parameters were within the range of significant differences. The varieties ‘MIP Dovira’, ‘MIP Nika’ and ‘MIP Roksolana’ were characterized by the highest protein content in the grain. According to the complex of quality indicators, ‘MIP Yuvileina’, ‘MIP Roksolana’ and ‘MIP Aurika’ prevailed over others. Conclusions. It was found that green manure and soybean as a preceding crop, as well as optimal sowing dates – the third decade of September and the first of October – provided the maximum yield of the varieties studied. The varieties with the hig­hest yields were ‘MIP Darunok’, ‘MIP Vidznaka’, ‘MIP Aurika’ and ‘MIP Aelita’. According to the complex of grain quality indicators, the varieties ‘MIP Yuvileina’, ‘MIP Roksolana’ and ‘MIP Aurika’ were distinguished.