REALISATION OF PRODUCTIVITY POTENTIAL AND GRAIN QUALITY BY VARIETIES OF SPRING WHEAT OF DIFFERENT MATURITY GROUPS

Abstract

In the Middle Trans-Urals, on less fertile derno-medium-podzolic loamy soils with limited growing seasons, a comparative trial of spring wheat varieties from three maturity groups was conducted over four years. It was established that early-maturing, mid-early, and mid-season spring wheat varieties can produce good yields, grain, and seed quality. The realisation of the genetic potential of productivity and grain quality of types is primarily influenced by abiotic conditions, the unfavourable course of which is not always correct with technological practices. In terms of grain yield over three years, among mid-early varieties, the Kalinka variety stood out, and among mid-season varieties, the Chernozemnyural'skaya 2 variety, with results of 243 and 266 g/m2, or 2.43 and 2.66 t/ha, respectively. Under favourable growth and development conditions, grain yields of early, mid-early, and mid-season varieties exceed 5 t/ha. Regional conditions allow grain protein content to generally exceed 23.0%, meeting the requirements of classes I–III, and gluten quality meeting the needs of groups I–II. The quality of spring wheat grain is determined to a greater extent by the prevailing abiotic conditions rather than the genetic characteristics of the variety. The requirements for forming spring wheat grain do not promote the formation of heavy grains; the 1000-seed weight usually amounts to around 30 g. Grain yields produced by early, mid-early, and mid-season group varieties are typically characterised by high laboratory germination values (over 92 %).