DEPENDENCE OF SPRING BARLEY CROP FORMATION ON THE COMBINED APPLICATION OF MINERAL FERTILIZERS AND FOLIAR MICRONUTRIENT FERTILIZATION
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to determine the dependence of seed field germination and plant survival of spring barley on the application of mineral fertilizers and foliar feeding with a micronutrient fertilizer during the growing season. Methods. The research was conducted during 2024–2026 at Podillia State University. The study area was located in the south-western Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine. The soil type was dark-gray podzolized soil characterized by a low content of easily hydrolyzable nitrogen, a medium content of available phosphorus compounds, and a very high content of available potassium compounds. According to the agrochemical characteristics, the soil reaction was slightly acidic. The following research methods were employed: field, comparative, difference, generalization, and statistical methods. The mineral fertilizer treatments included: N0P0K0 (control), N15Р15К15, N30Р30К30, N45Р45К45, N60Р60К60. To investigate the effect of foliar feeding on spring barley plant survival, the highly concentrated foliar gel fertilizer GelyFLOW 9-44-20 was used. The product contains a specific ratio of macronutrients with an emphasis on phosphorus and potassium, as well as a balanced complex of micronutrients (B, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Fe). GelyFLOW was applied twice: the first application at the beginning of the tillering stage when plants had developed three leaves, and the second application 15 days later. Field germination was determined after seedling emergence, while plant survival was assessed before harvesting. Results. It was established that under the conditions of spring barley cultivation on gray podzolized soils, the application of mineral fertilizers positively affected seed field germination and plant survival during the growing season. It was also proven that foliar feeding with a micronutrient fertilizer on mineral-fertilized treatments further enhanced plant survival. Conclusions. The positive effect of mineral fertilizers on improving the field germination of spring barley seeds grown on gray podzolized soils was confirmed. On average, over three years of research, the application of mineral fertilizers at rates of N15Р15К15, N30Р30К30, N45Р45К45, N60Р60К60 resulted in a field germination rate of 92.4%. In the treatment without mineral fertilizers, the indicator was 2.4% lower and amounted to 90.0%. No dependence of field germination on the fertilizer rates used in the experiment was established. The influence of mineral fertilizers on the plant survival process of spring barley was also confirmed. On average, the application of N15Р15К15, N30Р30К30, N45Р45К45, N60Р60К60 provided a plant survival rate of 95.6%. In the treatment without mineral fertilizers, plant survival was 91.2%, which was 4.4% lower. No dependence of plant survival on fertilizer rates was identified. The double application of the foliar micronutrient fertilizer GelyFLOW during the tillering stage at a rate of 1.5 L/ha increased plant survival by 3.0%. On average, under mineral fertilizer treatments, plant survival reached 98.6%. No dependence of the effect of foliar micronutrient feeding on plant survival with respect to mineral fertilizer rates was established.
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