The effect of pre­sowing seed treatment with chlorella suspension on the productivity of different varieties of Triticum aestivum L., T. durum Desf. and T. spelta L.

Abstract

Purpose. To determine the main elements of ear productivity, yield and mass fraction of protein in the grain of the studied species and varieties of winter wheat, depending on the pre­sowing treatment of seeds with “Chlorella suspension”. Methods. Field trials with different varieties of winter wheat (T. aestivum, T. spelta and T. durum) were carried out in 2020–2022 at the experimental field of the MNAU’s Educational, Scientific and Practical Centre. Before sowing, the seeds of the varieties studied were treated with the biological preparation “Chlorella suspension”. Results. During the years of research, it was possible to determine the varietal response to weather conditions that influenced the formation of the main elements of winter wheat productivity. For example, the highest number of productive stems (858 pcs/m2) was produced by plants of the variety ‘Vidrada’ (T. aestivum) in the variant with pre­sowing seed treatment with “Chlorella suspension”. In 2020, spelt plants of the ‘Evropa’ variety had the highest grain weight per ear (1.21 g), but the lowest number of productive stems (435 pcs/m2). ‘Shestopalivka’ (T. aestivum) and ‘Evropa’ (T. spelta) produced the maximum grain yield in 2021 (6.92 and 5.75 t/ha, respectively), ‘Bosfor’ (T. durum) – in 2022 (5.71 t/ha). On average over the three years of the trial, the highest yield was observed in the ‘Shestopalivka’ soft winter wheat plants in the variant with pre­sowing seed treatment with “Chlorella suspension” – 6.01 t/ha, which is 0.22–2.48 t/ha more than in other variants of the trial. The lowest yield level was observed in spelt plants of varie­ty ‘Zoria Ukrainy’ in the seed treatment with water (control variant) – from 2.74 t/ha in 2020 to 4.12 t/ha in 2022. The mass fraction of protein in grain in the variant with the use of “Chlorella suspension” among T. aestivum and T. durum varieties was distinguished by ‘Vidrada’ (15.8–15.9%) and ‘Lincor’ (14.6%), among T. spelta varieties – ‘Zoria Ukrainy’ (20.2%). Conclusions. The developed elements of the technology of winter wheat cultivation allow to increase the yield and quality of grain in the Southern Steppe of Ukraine, which confirms the relevance of this field of research.