Field experience on the topic “Study of the effect of using ammophos produced by various companies–manufacturers of fertilizers on winter wheat crops”.

At the present stage of development of agriculture, technologies are being developed using new forms and types of mineral fertilizers. The introduction of highly efficient technologies for the production of crop products has increased the overall need for mineral fertilizers, in this regard, many fertilizer manufacturers have appeared, and their range has expanded.

Ammophos from various manufacturers is present on the agricultural market of the Russian Federation, which have approximately the same physical properties, but differ in the content of nitrogen and phosphorus. Thus, there is an interest and a need to conduct scientific research and compare the effectiveness of fertilizers from different manufacturers. 

Purpose of the study. Compare the effectiveness of ammophos produced by Kazphosphate LLC and other manufacturers that differ in the content of the main components of the fertilizer – nitrogen and phosphorus. 

Methods of the study:  The experiments were carried out in the Ryazan region, in a separate subdivision: Institute Of Seed Production And Agricultural Technologies - branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center of the All-Russian Research Institute of Mechanization” in the department of agriculture, chemicalization and plant protection in the period of 2019-2020, on winter wheat of Moskovskaya 39 sort, using modern technology. Winter wheat responds well to fertilizers. Its high demands on the food regimen are due to its relatively weak development of the root system, and its weak ability to absorb nutrients from hard-to-reach forms of elements. Predecessor – white mustard on green manure.

Table 1 – Agrochemical indicators of the experimental plot (before fertilization).

The soil of the experimental plot is dark gray forest, heavy loamy in terms of granulometric composition with agrochemical parameters. The soil is characterized by a high content of phosphorus and potassium.

The climate of the Ryazan region is temperate continental with a typical continental climate precipitation regime. Pre-sowing tillage, sowing, emerging crops of winter wheat coincided with meteorological conditions, characterized as acutely dry. In August 2019, the average monthly air temperature was +19.1 °С, deviations from the long-term average values ​​by +1.9 °С. The total precipitation amounted to 36.4 mm, which is 18.6 mm less than the long-term average value.

By the time of sowing seeds of winter wheat, there was a certain moisture deficit in the soil, a further lack of moisture in September caused a prolongation of the germination period. The emergence of full seedlings occurred in the III decade of September-early October. The termination of the winter wheat vegetation was recorded on November 29, 2019. By the time the autumn vegetation was terminated, the winter wheat plants were well developed and had 3-4 shoots.

The winter period was unusual for the region – warm and snowless. A stable snow cover was not formed. Nevertheless, the plants overwintered well. There was a deficit of soil moisture in late March-mid-April by about 25-40%, however, late spring precipitation and moderate air temperatures contributed to the friendly start of the growing season, the growth of shoots and additional spring tillering.

Table 2: Scheme of experiment and agrotechnical measures

The total area of ​​the experimental plot is 1.0 ha. The experimental scheme contains 4 options in 4-fold repetition. The total area of ​​the accounting plot (4.0 m X 11.0 m) is 44.0 m^. In the arable layer of 0-20 cm, soil sampling was carried out before fertilization.

Agricultural devices used in the experiment is generally accepted for the cultivation of winter wheat and included plowing to a depth of 20-22 cm after mustard was crushed into green manure, cultivation (September 5, 2019), breaking down the experiment by options and applying mineral fertilizers, cultivating and sowing winter wheat (carried out 09/12/2019), SZU-5.4A-0.6. The optimal time for sowing winter wheat for the region is August 25-September 15. The seeding rate is 5.5 million germinating grains per 1 ha. Seeds treated with Vial Trust 0.5 l/t + TABU 0.7 l/t.

At the time of sowing, soil moisture determined in a layer of 0-30 cm was 16.8%. In spring, in the tillering phase (April 16, 2020), winter wheat crops were treated with a tank mixture: Ballerina herbicides – 0.4 l/ha + Mortar 20 g/ha + Borei insecticide 100 g/ha.

Research results

Experimental studies and observations of plant development and crop formation showed that the use of mineral fertilizers in the form of ammophos significantly affected the growth and development of winter wheat of Moskovskaya 39 sort, they formed a more powerful root system and vigorously tillered.

Table 3: Productive tillering capacity of winter wheat of Moskovskaya 39 sort

The maximum number of productive stems of winter wheat plants was obtained on variant No. 3-4.15 (Manufacturers No. 2), and on variant No. 4-4.0 (Kazphosphate LLC).

Table 4 – Growth of green mass of winter wheat

* - 1 term for determination – 05.05.2020, 2 term for determination – 20.06.2020.

Determining the height of plants and the growth of biomass in the phases of tillering – the beginning of booting and flowering of winter wheat revealed differences in options. The largest increase in biomass was noted in variants No. 2 and No. 4 (Kazphosphate LLC). Determination of the leaf surface area by development phases showed that ammophos had a positive effect on the size of the assimilation surface of winter wheat leaves, and, consequently, on the intensity of photosynthesis.

Table 5 – The effect of mineral fertilizers on the biological activity of the soil and the release of CO2 mg/ m^^hour * - 1 determination period - 05.05.2020, 2 term for determination – 20.06.2020.

When applying ammophos produces by Kazphosphate LLC and Manufacturer No. 2, almost the same indicators are noted, which also indicates the high efficiency of the fertilizer produces by Kazphosphate LLC. The data obtained showed that an increase in the intensity of respiration correlates with tissue decomposition.

Table 6: Influence of ammophos on the structure of the winter wheat crop

The structure of the crop is a biological model of the yield of any crop, showing what elements it consists of. Optimization of plant nutrition conditions had a positive effect on the ear grain content, the weight of 1,000 grains.

Mineral fertilizers in the form of ammophos had a stimulating effect on the tillering of plants; by the time of harvesting, a part of the productive stems was preserved – 610-658 pieces/m, which is more control for 96-144 pieces. The best variants were 3 and 4 (Kazphosphate LLC).

In all variants, there is a positive effect on the length of the ear, the number of spikelets and grains in it, the weight of grain in 1 ear and the weight of 1,000 grains. Practically for all indicators of the crop structure, No. 3 and No. 4 (Kazphosphate) turned out to be the best options – the number of grains in 1 ear was 32.8 and 31.4 g and the grain weight from 1 ear was 1.45 and 1.42 g, respectively.

Table 7 – Effect of ammophos mineral fertilizers on the yield of winter wheat Moskovskaya 39, t/ha

The yield of winter wheat in the variants with the introduction of ammophos exceeded the control by 1.73-2.47 t/ha. The maximum biological yield of winter wheat was obtained in option No. 3 and amounted to 7.49 t/ha. In variants with ammophos No. 2 and No. 3, the grain yield was 6.92 and 6.75 t/ha, but the difference was not statistically significant.

Table 8 – Influence of mineral fertilizers on grain quality of winter wheat Moskovskaya 39

The determination of the protein content in the grain showed that the variants with ammophos have an advantage of 1.28 -2.38% compared to the control. In variants No. 3 and No. 4 (Kazphosphate LLC), the amount of fibrin increased by 1.3 - 2.8%, while the value of FDM was in the range of 70-74 units, which corresponds to 1 quality group. The results of grain analysis showed that when using ammophos, the content of nitrogen and phosphorus increased, the content of potassium increased only in variant No. 4 (Kazphosphate).

The presented results of field experiments in different regions of the country and on different types of soil showed the positive effect of fertilizer on the productivity of winter wheat. Thus, in all variants of the experiment with ammophos, a significant increase in yield was obtained, a high responsiveness of plants to the type of fertilizer used and its high efficiency were revealed. It should be noted that when ammophos produced by Kazphosphate LLC was applied in the same physical mass as other products of Russian production, the plants developed better in many respects.

Ammophos produced by Kazphosphate LLC, in comparison with widely used domestic manufacturers, fully meets the requirements for technical characteristics (including granulometric and chemical composition), agronomic efficiency and environmental safety (in particular, for the content of heavy metals and radionuclides).

Ammophos produced by Kazphosphate LLC along with similar products of various manufacturing companies, presented in the agriculture of the Russian Federation, on the basis of experimental testing in the field, can be effectively and environmentally safe used in agricultural production and personal household plots.

Ammophos produced by Kazphosphate LLC, despite the lower content of the main nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), provides an equal expected positive effect, a significant difference in the effect on the nutrient regime of soils, the formation of winter wheat yields and grain quality was not revealed. It is possible to use ammophos of various manufacturers with equivalent efficiency on different types of soil, regardless of natural and climatic conditions.