The Combined Effect of Different Sowing Methods and Seed Rates on the Quality Features and Yield of Winter Wheat

Abstract

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the main staple foods worldwide. Wide precise sowing (Wps) is a sowing method believed to produce the highest winter wheat grain yields; however, the reasons for its high yields and its effect on quality traits have not been effectively studied. Hence, a two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of three sowing methods, dibbling (Db), drilling (Dr), and Wps and seed rates (112.5 kg ha−1, 150 kg ha−1, 187.5 kg ha−1, and 225 kg ha−1) on grain yield and the quality of winter wheat. Wps, Dr, and Db produced statistically similar results in terms of the grain yield and most of the quality traits measured. The grain yield increased significantly with the increasing rate, the highest being 7488.89 kg ha−1 at a seed rate of 225 kg ha−1. The total protein, albumin, and globulin were not affected by the sowing methods, but prolamin and glutelin were affected by the Dr and Wps, respectively. The total starch in both years, and the amylose and amylopectin in the first year, were affected only by the seed rates, with 60.11%, 23.2%, 38.63%, or higher values. The results indicated that for the wheat yield and quality traits, Wps, Dr and Db can mostly be used interchangeably. For the protein, starch, and grain yield, the suitable seed rates were 112.5 kg ha−1, 150 kg ha−1, and 225 kg ha−1, respectively.

Keywords

• sowing methods
• seed rate
• total protein
• total starch
• wheat