The effect of application of potassium, magnesium and sulphur on wheat and barley grain yield and protein content

ArticleThe objective of our experiment was to study the effect of mineral fertilizers, rich mainly in the K, Mg and S content, and compare their effect on grain yield and protein content of winter wheat and winter barley with fertilizer treatments without these elements. The analyzed fertilizer treatments were 1) Control, 2) mineral nitrogen treatment (N), 3) mineral nitrogen with phosphorus (NP), 4) NP with potassium, magnesium, and sulphur (NP+KMgS), and 5) NP with magnesium, sulphur and minor part of manganese (4%) and zinc (1%) (NP+MgSMnZn). The experiment was established in Lukavec experimental station (the Czech Republic) in 2013 and lasted until 2017. The crop rotation consisted of four arable crops: winter wheat, winter barley, rapeseed, and potatoes, but only winter wheat and winter barley are analyzed in this paper (grain yields and crude protein content). In comparison with the Control, the application of mineral fertilizers significantly increased grain yield and protein content of both kinds of cereal. Comparing mineral fertilizers, no significant differences were recorded between N, NP, NP+KMgS and NP+MgSMnZn treatments, showing that nitrogen was the most limiting factor affecting yield and protein content, and initial concentrations of K and Mg were suitable and capable to cover cereal’s demands. However, application of fertilizers has increased the K and Mg soil content and thus prevents the soil from the element’s deficiency, which does not has to be recognized in the early stages by visual observation of arable plants. The effect of the year was also significant as two out of four seasons were characterized by high temperatures and drought

Biomass yield of silage maize, fertilizers efficiency, and soil properties under different soil-climate conditions and fertilizer treatments

We evaluated the efficiency (the netto agronomic efficiency – NAE, the physiological efficiency – PE, and the apparent recovery efficiency – ARE) of farmyard manure (FYM) applied alone, and together with mineral N (FYM+N), and NPK (FYM+NPK), on the biomass production of silage maize at three localities (Caslav, Ivanovice, Lukavec) in the Czech Republic, characterised by different soil-climate conditions. The effect of fertilizer treatment on soil chemical properties was also analyzed. After four years of evaluation, the application of FYM resulted in comparable biomass production as in the FYM+N, and FYM+NPK treatments, showing the good ability of the mineralized FYM to provide enough nutrients during the growing season. Increasing doses of applied nutrients were connected with higher biomass production. However, no significant differences were recorded between fertilizer treatments. The efficiency of applied nutrients was higher on soils of worst quality (sandy loamy Cambisol – Lukavec), while lower on naturally fertile loamy degraded Chernozem (Ivanovice). But again, no significant differences between the selected parameters were recorded. Although the application of mineral fertilizers has not increased maize biomass yield significantly, they positively affected soil chemical properties, mainly the soil concentration of P, K, Mg, and soil organic carbon content. This shows the beneficial effect of the application of mineral fertilizers, especially in the Czech Republic, where the application of mineral P and K decreased drastically during the last thirty years

Oleic acid variation and marker-assisted detection of Pervenets mutation in high- and low-oleic sunflower cross

High-oleic sunflower oil is in high demand on the market due to its heart-healthy properties and richness in monounsaturated fatty acids that makes it more stable in processing than standard sunflower oil. Consequently, one of sunflower breeder's tasks is to develop stable high-oleic sunflower genotypes that will produce high quality oil. We analyzed variability and inheritance of oleic acid content (OAC) in sunflower, developed at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, by analyzing F-1 and F-2 progeny obtained by crossing a standard linoleic and high-oleic inbred line. F-2 individuals were classified in two groups: low-oleic with OAC of 15.24-31.28% and high-oleic with OAC of 62.49-93.82%. Monogenic dominant inheritance was observed. Additionally, several molecular markers were tested for the use in marker-assisted selection in order to shorten the period of detecting high-oleic genotypes. Marker F4-R1 was proven to be the most efficient in detection of genotypes with Pervenets (high-oleic acid) mutation

Evaluation of the long-term fertilizer experiment: how organic manures, mineral fertilizers and potato varieties affected tuber yields

We evaluated how organic manures (farmyard manure, dung water and poultry slurry), different doses of mineral fertilizers (three treatments), combinations of manures with mineral fertilizers (three treatments), and potato varieties (four varieties) influenced potato tuber yields in our longterm fertilizer experiment in Prague, established in 1954. According to our crop rotation, potatoes were planted every ninth year, starting in 1962. Four potato varieties were used since then (Krasava, Radka, Korela, Dita), all of them were medium-maturing and consumable. The average potato yield was 19.1 Mg ha-1 at the beginning of our experiment (1962, var. Krasava) and 37.5 Mg ha-1 in 2007 (var. Dita), showing low suitability of the experimental site for potato production. The mean tuber yield of varieties Krasava, Radka, Korela and Dita was 18.5, 17.1, 30.2 and 37.5 Mg ha-1, respectively. The effect of organic manures was principally comparable with mineral fertilizers. Increasing doses of mineral fertilizers were not related to appropriate increase in tuber yield. Therefore, application of N, P and K around 50, 50 and 144 kg ha-1, respectively, gives fair yields in such non-optimal production area, as is our experimental site. In the case of warm and dry seasons, even high doses of the mineral fertilizers can’t ensure usual potato production