THE EFFECT OF APPLIED NITROGEN FERTILIZER AND PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON WINTER WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) YIELD AND GRAIN QUALITY

Abstract

The rate of nitrogen fertilization is the most important factor for plant growth and development which can increase yield and grain quality assurance. But the high rates of applied nitrogen fertilizer combined with high precipitations favor stem elongation and increase risk of cereal lodging. Lodging is a common phenomenon that occurs near harvest time, which can significant decrease both quantity and quality of the yield. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are widely used for lodging control in winter wheat grown at high nitrogen rates. The present study investigated the effect of PGR and nitrogen fertilization rates on wintet wheat yield and grain protein content. The field study was conducted at the Agricultural Research and Development Station Turda in 2016 involving eight winter wheat genotypes tested at different rates of applied nitrogen fertilizer, in combination with foliar treatment with trinexapac-ethyl- based plant growth regulator sprayed over the foliage.

Keywords

• winter wheat, plant growth regulators (pgr), nitrogen fertiliser, grain yield, grain quality, grain protein content