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UDC 631.543:633.34:633.10         https://doi.org/10.31867/2523-4544/0386

Grain Crops. 2025. 9 (2). 256–265

Pavlichenko K. V., Grabovskyi M. B., Panchenko T. V., Lozinskyі M. V., Nimenko S. S.  

Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University, 8/1 Soborna Sq., Bila Tserkva,Kyiv region, 09117, Ukraine

Topicality. The use of renewable sources for biomethane production is important for the sustainable use of agricultural biomass and has significant environmental benefits. Purpose. To determine the effect of macro- and microfertilisers on the maize vegetative mass quality and the estimated biomethane output. Material and Methods. The research was carried out at the Agricultural Limited Liability Company Korobivskyi Poultry-Breeding Factory located in the Andrushivka district of Zhytomyr region during 2019–2021. The three-factor experiment involved the study of: factor A – maize hybrids (Amaros, Bohatyr, KWS 381, Carifols); factor B –macronutrient fertilisers (kg a.i./ha): control (no fertilisers), N₉₀P₆₀K₆₀, and N₁₂₀P₉₀K₉₀); and factor C – micronutrient fertilizers: control (no application), seed treatment with YaraVita Teprosyn NP+Zn (5 l/t) followed by foliar spraying with YaraVita Corn Boost (4 L/ha) at the 3–5 leaf stage, and seed treatment with YaraTera Tenso Cocktail (0.15 kg/t) followed by spraying with YaraVita Kombiphos (3 l/ha) at the same stage. Results. In the case of application of macro- and microfertilisers, there was a tendency towards an increase in the level of starch, crude protein and cellulose in the vegetative mass of maize plants compared to the control. At the same time, fertiliser application resulted in a decrease in fibre content. Among the maize hybrids under study, the vegetative mass of mid-ripening hybrids KWS 381 and Carifols had a higher content of starch, crude protein and fat in comparison with the mid-early hybrids Amaros and Bohatyr. The specific methane yield in the experiment was in the range of 272.1–356.6 m³/t of dry organic matter (DOM), which corresponds to 97.2–129.2 m³/t of vegetative mass of maize plants. The highest specific methane yield was recorded in the Carifols hybrid – 335.0–356.6 m³/t DOM, followed by KWS 381 – 319.6–343.2 m³/t DOM, Bohatyr – 310.2–332.8 m³/t DOM, and Amaros – 272.1–301.7 m³/t DOM. Conclusions. A strong positive correlation was found between methane yield and the content of starch (r = 0.86), crude protein (r = 0.93), and fat (r = 0.95). A moderate correlation was observed with crude ash (r = 0.57) and cellulose (r = 0.66), whereas the correlation with crude fibre content was weak (r = 0.31). The application of macrofertilisers had a greater effect on methane yield compared to the variant with microfertilisers. Thus, the application of mineral macronutrients resulted in an increase in methane yield by 11.2–28.4%, while the application of micronutrients led to an increase by only 1.6–3.3 % compared to the control (no fertilisers).

Key words: bioenergy,maize, hybrids, vegetative mass, chemical composition, specific methane yield

UDC 633.854.78:631.533.04        https://doi.org/10.31867/2523-4544/0387

Grain Crops. 9 (2). 2025. 266–271

Didur I. M., Tkachuk O. P., Pantsyreva H. V., Tsyhanskyi V. I. 

Vinnytsia National Agrarian University, 3 Soniachna St., Vinnytsia, 21008, Ukraine

Topicality. A scientifically based system of weed control methods (agrotechnical, chemical and biological) is a pressing issue in ensuring high crop productivity. Purpose. To the effect of various groups of surfactants (Liposam, Liposam Extra, Liposam Ultra) on the effectiveness of soil-applied herbicides in sunflower, soybean and maize crops. Methods. The research was conducted at the Ahronomichne Scientific Research Farm of Vinnytsia National Agrarian University, Ahronomichne village, Vinnytsia region, during 2020–2023. The quantitative method for determining weed infestation was used. Results. Based on observations and records, we found that the number of weeds in the control variant (without Liposam) in the experiment with sunflower at natural moisture + 100 mm of water was 19±4 pcs/m², in the variants where Liposam Extra (0.5 l/ha) was applied, the average number of weeds was 12±3 pcs/m², which is 7 pcs/m² less than in the control. The most effective combination was Guardian Tetra herbicide (3 l/ha) applied to the soil with Liposam Ultra (0.5 l/ha) 30 days after application, which resulted in an average number of weeds of 9±1 pcs/m² in these variants, which is 10 pcs/m² less than in the control. When Liposam was used with the soil-applied herbicide Guardian Tetra, an average of 14±3 pcs/m² of weeds were formed on the test plot. On soybean crops, the most effective combination was the soil-applied herbicide Gezagard (3 l/ha) with the surfactant Liposam (0.5 and 0.8 l/ha), the difference between these options being minimal. On maize crops, the most effective combination was the soil-applied herbicide Guardian Tetra (3.5 l/ha) with the surfactant Liposam Ultra (0.5 l/ha), with minimal differences between the two variants. Conclusions. The research showed that combining the soil-applied herbicide Guardian Tetra with the surfactant Liposam in various combinations did not significantly affect plant density. The most effective combination on sunflower crops 30 days after application was Guardian Tetra soil-applied herbicide with Liposam Ultra. In which case, the number of weeds was 9±1 pcs/m², which is 10 pcs/m² less than in the control. The most effective treatment for soybean crops was the application of the soil-applied herbicide Gezagard (3 l/ha) with Liposam (0.5 and 0.8 l/ha), with a minimal difference between the variants. In maize crops, the lowest number of weeds (14±3 pcs/m²) 30 days after application was recorded in the experiment with the application of Liposam Ultra (0.5 l/ha) combined with additional irrigation (+100 mm of water). These agrotechnical practices can be used to improve the cultivation technologies for sunflower, soybean and grain maize.

Key words: sunflower, soybean, maize, technological techniques, weed infestation of crops.

UDC 633.15:631.81.095.337           https://doi.org/10.31867/2523-4544/0388

Grain Crops. 2025. 9 (2). 272–282

Palamarchuk V. D., Krychkovskyi V. Yu. 

Vinnytsia National Agrarian University, 3 Soniachna St., Vinnytsia, 21008, Ukraine

Topicality. Maize is one of the leading agricultural crops cultivated on the largest areas worldwide, and its yield growth can be achieved through the application of foliar fertilization. The study presents the results of an economic analysis of the efficiency of maize hybrid cultivation depending on a complex of agronomic factors, in particular vegetation conditions, biological characteristics of hybrids, and foliar fertilization. Purpose. To determine the economic and production efficiency of applying foliar fertilization in grain maize cultivation technology. Methods. Field, laboratory, and laboratory-field methods were applied. The research was carried out during 2021–2022 in the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine at the facilities of Organic-D LLC. The study involved maize hybrids of different maturity groups: early-ripening hybrids: Pyvykha (FAO 180), Mas. 10A (FAO 180), DN Meotyda (FAO 190), Pochaivskyi (FAO 190); med-early hybrids: SI Chorintos (FAO 290), Daniil (FAO 280), Arioso (FAO 260), Aladium (FAO 260); med-ripening hybrids: DMS Amiho (FAO 340), SI Batanha (FAO 240), SI Premeo (FAO 360), DKS 4590. Results. It was established that the application of foliar fertilization ensured an increase in the yield of early-ripening maize hybrids within the range of 0.82–1.34 t/ha compared to the control (without fertilization). A single foliar feeding increased yield by 0.83 t/ha, while two applications resulted in an increase of 1.43 t/ha compared to the unfertilized variant. The average profitability level of maize hybrid cultivation was as follows: Pyvykha (FAO 180) – 58.0 %, Mas. 10A (FAO 180) – 91.0 %, Pochaivskyi (FAO 190) – 75.4 %, and DN Meotyda (FAO 190) – 84.4 %. The application of foliar fertilization increased profitability by 20.3–29.5 % compared to the control. In the group of med-early and med-ripening maize hybrids, a similar trend was observed in the relationship between yield, biological characteristics of hybrids, and profitability level. In the med-early group, a single foliar application provided an average increase in yield of 1.01 t/ha and a profitability gain of 20.1 p.p., whereas two applications resulted in an increase of 1.77 t/ha and a profitability gain of 35.4 p.p. compared to the control. In the group of med-ripening hybrids, the use of foliar fertilization contributed to an increase in profitability of 18.5–25.7 p.p. compared to the control. In particular, a single feeding provided a profitability increase of 14.7 p.p., while two applications raised it by 29.5 p.p. Conclusions. The indicators of economic efficiency and yield of maize hybrids largely depend on their maturity group, the biological characteristics of each specific hybrid, and the application of foliar fertilization. The highest values of yield and profitability were obtained with the micronutrient fertilizer Chelatin Zinc applied at the 5–7 and 10–12 leaf growth stages of maize. The application of this fertilizer ensured an increase in economic efficiency ranging from 83.1 % to 125.8 %, which confirms its high suitability for use in maize cultivation technology.

Key words: maize, grain, hybrids, maturity group, foliar fertilization, profitability level, conditional net profit, yield.

UDC 635.652/654:631.558.3                https://doi.org/10.31867/2523-4544/0389

Grain Crops.2025. 9 (2).

Parfenіuk O. O., Trush S. Н., Balanіuk L. O. 

Research Station of the Kyiv Agrarian University of NAAS, 4 Internatsionalna St., Uman, Cherkasy region, 20300, Ukraine

Topicality. Currently, the issues of theoretical and practical aspects of cultivation technologies for leguminous crops under climate change in the conditions of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, which would ensure the creation of optimal conditions for growth, development and formation of maximum grain productivity of plants, are insufficiently studied. Therefore, the development of new and improvement of existing models of common bean cultivation technology, in particular based on the optimization of the components of productivity, is a current problem of today. Purpose. Study of the influence of elements of cultivation technology on the processes of forming common bean productivity under climatic changes in the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. Field method (laying out experiments, phenological observations and records), measuring and weighing (determining yield attributes), statistical (mathematical processing of research results). Results. It was established that the highest yield of common beans in all variants of the experiment under the agroclimatic conditions of the Forest-Steppe was obtained during the first sowing date (second ten days of May) — 2.85 t/ha for the Mavka variety and 2.57 t/ha for the Panna variety. The highest yield (Mavka variety – 3.05 t/ha, Panna variety – 2.75 t/ha) was obtained in the variant with a 45 cm row spacing and a plant density of 450,000 plants/ha. The highest protein content in the grain (22.56 % in the Mavka variety, 21.73 % in the Panna variety) was in the variant with a 60 cm row spacing and a plant density of 350,000 plants/ha at the first sowing date. The highest values of the yield attributes for common bean plants were obtained in crops with a 45 cm row spacing and a plant density of 450,000 plants/ha at the first date. The largest grain weight per plant (18.6 g in the Mavka variety and 17.7 g in the Panna variety) was obtained from bean crops with a plant density of 450,000 plants/ha at the first sowing date. The greatest absolute grain weight (203–217 g in the Mavka variety and 257–277 g in the Panna variety) was recorded in wide-row crops at the first sowing date. Conclusions. It was established that sowing methods and dates, as well as plant density, significantly affect the productivity and yield attributes of common bean plants. The variation in indicators is determined by the genotype of the variety. The indicators of the number of grains per plant and their absolute weight corresponded to the varietal characteristics of each bean sample. Under changing climatic conditions in the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, the highest productivity of common bean plants is observed when sowing is carried out in the second ten days of May by the wide-row method (45 cm row spa-cing) with a plant density of 450,000 plants per hectare.

Keywords: common bean, sowing method, plant density, sowing dates, productivity, yield, protein content.

UDC 631.11:631.559             https://doi.org/10.31867/2523-4544/0390

Grain Crops.2025. 9 (2).

¹Umrykhin, N. L., ¹Almaieva,T. M., ²Samoilenko, O. A. 

¹Institute of Agriculture of the Steppe of NAAS, 2 Tsentralna St., Sozonivka village, Kropyvnytskyi district,Kirovohrad region, 27602, Ukraine

²Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, 3 Ivan Bank St., Poltava, 36003, Ukraine

Topicality. Climate changes observed in the territory of Ukraine in recent years have forced agricultural scientists and farmers to constantly review and adapt existing crop cultivation technologies to specific soil and climatic conditions. Ukraine ranks among the top ten wheat grain exporters in the world; therefore, achieving high and stable yields of wheat grain under current climatic conditions is an urgent issue for producers. Purpose. To determine the effect of sowing dates and preceding crops on the productivity of winter wheat under the conditions of the Right-Bank Steppe of Ukraine. Materials and Methods. The study was carried out in the first scientific and technological crop rotation at the experimental fields of the Institute of Steppe Agriculture of NAAS during 2021–2023. The cultivation technology of winter wheat was generally accepted, except for the factors under study. Results. On average during the 2020–2023 growing seasons, weather conditions were mostly favorable for winter wheat. On average for 2021–2023, it was established that, regardless of the sowing date, the highest yield (6.45 t/ha) of winter wheat was obtained after soybean as the preceding crop, which was 0.86 t/ha more than after sunflower. In terms of sowing date, the highest yield of winter wheat was obtained with early sowing on 15 September. The grain yield was 6.59 t/ha after soybean and 5.93 t/ha after sunflower, which was 0.36 and 0.77 t/ha higher, respectively, compared to late sowing date (15 October). When conducting a qualitative analysis of winter wheat over the years of research, it was found that the grain had a very low protein content (8.0–9.1 %) and gluten content (16.9–18.8 %), but no obvious relationship between the factors studied and the quality indicators of the grain was observed. The highest economic efficiency was obtained when wheat was sown on 15 September after soybeans as the preceding crop – 12,997 UAH of conditional net income and profitability – 83.7 %, and after sunflowers – 10,446 UAH/ha and 68.4 %, respectively. Conclusions. The research showed that under the conditions of the Right-Bank Steppe of Ukraine, the optimal sowing date for obtaining high winter wheat yields is September 15, with an average yield of 6.26 t/ha. Economic efficiency indicators in this case amounted to: conditionally net income — 11,721.5 UAH/ha, profitability — 76 %. When choosing a preceding crop for winter wheat, it is advisable to prefer soybean, as after this crop winter wheat forms higher yields.

Keywords: winter wheat, sowing dates, preceding crop, yield, economic efficiency.

UDC 633.11           https://doi.org/10.31867/2523-4544/0391

Grain Crops. 2025. 9 (2). 

Polovyi, V. M., Lukashchuk, L. Ya., Lukanik, M. M., Zlotenko, O. Yu. 

Institute of Agriculture of the Western Polissia of NAAS, 5 Rivnenska St., Shubkiv, Rivne district, Rivne region, 35325, Ukraine 

Topicality. The article reflects on a relevant problem, namely, the search for ways to improve winter wheat cultivation technology in order to achieve yields close to the potential in the conditions of the Western Forest-Steppe.Purpose. To study the influence of using a complex that includes high-yielding winter wheat varieties and optimisation of the crop care system on grain yield and quality, as well as the economic efficiency of cultivation in the conditions of the Western Forest-Steppe.Methods. Visual method was used to establish the phenological stages of growth and development of the crop, counting method – to determine the parameters of the crop structure and yield of the crop, chemical – to determine the content of nutrients in the soil; mathematical and statistical – to assess the reliability of research results; calculation-comparative – for the analysis of economic efficiency.Results. It was established that the intensification of the care system for winter wheat crops based on the use of microfertilisers and plant growth stimulators contributed to the formation of a significantly higher grain yield compared to the basic one and improved indicators of yield attributes and its quality.Increases in grain yield were 0.21–0.83t/ha or 2.21–9.6%. On average, over the years of research, the maize varieties Astarta, Kraievyd, Glaucus, and the Hubery hybrid formed yields, res-pectively, within 8.37–9.06; 8.64–9.47; 8.78–9.43 and 9.50–9.71 t/ha, depending on the crop care system.

Keywords: varieties, winter wheat, intensive technology, potential productivity, grain quality.

UDC 633.16 «321»:631.559/.816.3                          https://doi.org/10.31867/2523-4544/0392

Grain Crops. 2025. 9 (2). 

Hyrka A. D., Sydorenko Yu. Ya., Bochevar O. V., Aleksieiev Ya. V., Ilienko O. V. 

State Enterprise Institute of Grain Crops of NAAS, 14 Volodymyr Vernadskyi St., Dnipro, 49009, Ukraine

Erastivska Experimental Station of the SE Institute of Grain Crops of NAAS, Vyshneve village, Kamianske district, Dnipropetrovsk region, 52150, Ukraine

Topicality. Spring barley is an important food, feed, and industrial crop, the yield level of which significantly impacts the gross grain harvest in Ukraine. According to the FAO, 42–48 % of the gross barley harvest is used in the processing industry, 16 % for feed purposes, 15 % for food and 6–8 % for beer production. Despite the high adaptability of spring barley to growing conditions, the crop is quite demanding in terms of soil fertility, which virtually prevents increasing yield without the application of mineral fertili-sers. Barley plants begin to consume nitrogen and potassium intensively and phosphorus more slowly in the early stages of development, immediately after seedling emergence. his is explained by the poorly developed root system and low assimilation of less available forms of nutrients. However, unstable meteorological conditions in recent years have resulted in a significant reduction in the assimilation of mineral fertilisers by barley plants, which affects fluctuations in its yield, which can reach 40–50 %. Purpose. To study the effectiveness of mineral fertiliser application with different methods and rates in spring barley cultivation technology. Materials and Methods. Field trials were conducted at the Erastivka Research Station of SE Institute of Grain Crops of NAAS during 2022–2024. The climate of the research area, located in the Northern Steppe of Ukraine, is moderately continental, characterized by drought and unstable moisture conditions. The soil cover of the experimental plots is ordinary low-humus heavy loam chernozem. In the arable soil layer (0–30 cm), the humus content is 4.0–4.5 %, nitrate nitrogen content is 30.5 mg/kg (DSTU 4729:2007), mobile phosphorus and potassium compounds of 125 and 145 mg/kg, respectively, according to the modified Chirikov’s method (DSTU 4115−2002), and the pH of the water extract is 6.5–7.0. The experiment was carried out after the winter wheat. The spring barley variety Sviatomykhailivskyi, bred by the Institute of Agriculture of the Steppe of NAAS, was grown using generally accepted farming techniques for the zone. According to the experimental design, nitrogen (ammonium nitrate) and complete mineral fertilizers (NPK) were applied broadcast under pre-sowing cultivation at rates of 30, 45, and 60 kg a.i./ha in spring, followed by root feeding with ammonium nitrate at rates of 30, 45, and 60 kg/ha at the full seedling stage. Results. Over three years of research, it was found that the incorporation of mineral fertilisers in pre-sowing cultivation at rates of N₃₀P₃₀K₃₀, N₄₅P₄₅K₄₅, N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀ and root feeding with nitrogen fertilizer at rates of N₃₀, N₄₅ and N₆₀ at the full seedling stage ensured an increase in plant height by 0.3–3.6 cm, tillering coefficient by 0.15–0.31, ear length by 0.1–1.0 cm, grain content per ear by 0.1–1.2 grains, and 1000-grain weight by 0.2–1.9 g. The abovementioned positively influenced the formation of spring barley grain yield, which increased by 0.08–1.33 t/ha depending on the method of application, composition and amount of nutrients in fertilisers. Conclusions. In the cultivation technology of spring barley variety Sviatomykhailivskyi, it was found that the most effective method was pre-sowing fertilization at a rate of N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀ and additional root feeding with ammonium nitrate N₆₀ at the full seedling stage, where the grain yield reached 3.86 t/ha and exceeded the result of the no-fertilizer option by 1.33 t/ha or 52.3 %. It was established that root feeding at a rate of N₄₅ against a background of N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀, and the double application of only ammonium nitrate at the N₆₀ under pre-sowing cultivation and at the full seedling stage resulted in the formation of an equally high grain yield of 3.60 t/ha and 3.64 t/ha, respectively, which is 1.11 and 1.07 t/ha (43.9 and 21.3 %) higher compared to the control, respectively.

Key words: spring barley, predecessor, fertilised background, root feeding, biometric indicators, yield attributes, grain yield.

UDC 004.93:025.4.03:633.11       https://doi.org/10.31867/2523-4544/0393

Grain Crops. 2025. 9 (2).

Relina L. I., Holik O. V., Yehorova N. Yu., Ozherelieva V. M., Naumov O. H.   

Yuriev Plant Production Institute of NAAS, 142 Heroiv Kharkova Ave., Kharkiv, 61061 Ukraine

Topicality. Emmer wheat is the subject of various studies, which determines the large number of publications on this topic. Bibliometric approach is used to analyse such arrays of literary sources. There are different ways to visualize results of bibliometric analysis, including heatmaps, which, in our opinion, can be used more widely. Purpose. Our goal was to conduct a bibliometric analysis of publications on the topic of emmer wheat using heatmaps. Materials and Methods. The search for publications was carried out in the scientometric databases Scopus, Web of Science (WoS), Lens and PubMed. In total, 2,215 documents published between 1905 and May 2025 were selected for analysis. The diagrams were created in Microsoft Excel. Heatmaps were created using Google Sheet and GPT. Results. The bibliometric analysis of cumulative data from several scientometric databases showed that the publication activity on the topic of emmer wheat reached its maximum in 2021 and then it began to decline. The largest number of works (40 %) was published in collaboration between different organizations of the same country. It was found that Israel, China, Italy, Germany, Turkey, and the United Kingdom were the leaders in terms of the number of publications in this field of knowledge. The journals Theoretical and Applied Genetics Genetic Resourcesand Crop Evolution, Euphytica and Vegetation History and Archaeobotany were the leading publications in this field. Notably, the leading countries tend to publish in these journals. The dynamics of publication activity by countries and journals on the topic of emmer wheat over time was also analysed. Conclusions. Analysis of publications using the WoS tools allowed for identification of organizations that were the largest sponsors of emmer wheat research. Among the institutions funding such research, The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) stands out in particular. This bibliometric analysis showed that heatmaps were a rather clear and informative approach for visualizing bibliometric parameters.

Key words: Triticum dococcum, Triticum dicoccoides, scientometrics, data mapping, temporal evolution of research, regional trends.

UDC 633.11:631.559              https://doi.org/10.31867/2523-4544/0394

Grain Crops. 2025. 9 (2). 

¹Bahatchenko, O. S., ^{1, 2}Tsentylo, L. V.   

¹The V.M. Remeslo Myronivka Institute of Wheat NAAS, Tsentralne village, Obukhiv district, Kyiv region, 08853, Ukraine

²National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine Ukraine, 15 Heroiv Oborony St., Kyiv, 03041,Ukraine

Topicality. Yield is one of the main criteria for evaluating the efficiency of crop cultivation, particularly that of winter bread wheat. Seed quality indicators are key parameters reflecting the viability and reproductive potential of the crop. These indicators vary depending on the preceding crop, sowing dates, mineral nutrition level, hydrothermal conditions during the growing season, and the biological characteristics of the variety. Purpose. To study the effect of sowing dates and preceding crops on the formation of yield and seed quality indicators of modern bread winter wheat varieties under the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Materials and Methods. The research was conducted during 2022–2024 at Agrofirm Kolos LLC. Eight modern bread winter wheat varieties, namely AFK Stabiliti, AFK Lait Hrin, AFK Elit Hrein, AFK Fentezi, AFK Yunion, AFK Premium, MIP Feieriia, and MIP Roksolana, were stu-died. The variety Podolianka was used as a standard. We also studied such preceding crops as peas, soybeans, sunflowers, and winter rapeseed, as well as the following sowing dates: 20 and 30 September and 10 October. Results. It was established that the leading factor influencing yield formation and seed quality indicators of bread winter wheat was the variety, while the preceding crop significantly affected the proportion of certified seed yield, and sowing dates had a noticeable impact mainly through their interaction with other factors. The average yield of winter wheat varieties in the experiment was 6.3 t/ha, with the highest yield (7.5 t/ha) – after pea and the lowest (5.4 t/ha) – after sunflower. Shifting the sowing date from 20 September to 10 October slightly reduced the yield of varieties, and the highest value of this indicator (over 7 t/ha) was observed for the AFK Premium variety planted on 20 September after peas and rapeseed. The highest yield of certified seeds (74.5 %) was observed in the AFK Elit Hrein variety, which was sown on 20 September after peas. The highest 1000-seed weight, laboratory germination and germination energy were achieved by the varieties AFK Elit Hrein, AFK Lait Hrin, and AFK Premium, which significantly exceeded the standard. Conclusions. The results obtained are a significant contribution to the study of both theoretical and practical aspects of winter wheat seed production technology. The presented findings will facilitate more efficient use of the tested wheat varieties not only in seed production and crop cultivation but also in breeding practice.

Key words: variety, preceding crops, sowing dates, yield, indicators of seed quality.

UDC 633.15:661.169.23:632.111.6      https://doi.org/10.31867/2523-4544/0395

  Grain Crops. 2025. 9 (2). 

^{1Melnyk T. V., 2Yarchuk I. I.}

¹ HYCS Ukraine LLC, 5 Hurdzhuanska St., Synelnykovo, Dnipropetrovsk region, 52500, Ukraine

² Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, 25 Serhii Yefremov St., Dnipro, 49009, Ukraine 

Topicality. In recent years, the warming climate has led to an earlier start to spring vegetation, forcing farmers to begin sowing earlier in order to maximise the use of spring moisture. However, the early onset of spring significantly increases the possibility of a return to cold weather, which will lead to a decrease in field seed germination, thinning of seedlings and productivity. The relevance of this work is determined by finding ways to protect seedlings as much as possible in case of a return of spring cold weather (temperature drop). Purpose. Development of technological measures aimed at maximising the preservation of maize crops in the event of a return of cold weather. Since pesticides, in addition to their direct action, usually have an indirect effect on plants, an attempt was made to determine the specific effects of pesticides on maize seed germination in low-temperature conditions and to identify the most suitable pesticides for overcoming low-temperature stress. Materials and Methods. Extra-early sowing of maize was carried out to simulate the effect of spring cold spells on plants. These conditions were as close to natural conditions as possible, allowing us to observe the response of plants to the seed protectant fungicides at low temperatures. The experiments were conducted at the training farm of the Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, sowing was carried out on April 15 and 19, and in 2024 - on April 12 and 19. These sowing dates can be considered extremely early for this region. The research involved the maize hybrid Onio and the self-pollinating line V 831. The following seed protectant fungicides were used in the experiment: Ventsedor, Bastion, Fever, Maxim XL and Avicenna. Results. It was found that seed protectant fungicides, which showed equally high activity in laboratory conditions, had different effects on seed germination in field conditions at low temperatures in extra-early sowing periods. Among the formulations studied, the highest field germination rates were observed with the application of Ventsedor, Avicenna and Maxim XL. They ensured field seed germination of 68.8–85.0 % under low temperature conditions. The lowest results (51.3–67.5 %) were recorded after application of the fungicides Bastion and Fever, respectively. Conclusions. Given the high probability of a return of spring cold weather, the protectants Ventsedor, Avicenna and Maxim XL should be applied in case of early sowing, in order to promote maximum seed germination in low temperature conditions.

Key words: fungicides, seed treatment, extra-early sowing dates, low temperatures, field seed germination.