Formation of the main spike length of wheat soft spring depending on foliar fertilization and fungicides in the Right-bank Forest-steppe of Ukraine
Keywords:
spring wheat, main spike length, agrotechnological factors, foliar fertilisation, fungicides, micronutrient fertilisers, macronutrient fertilisers.Abstract
The article presents the results of a study on the effect of foliar fertilisation and fungicide protection on the formation of the main spike length in spring wheat under the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. The experiments were conducted in 2024–2025 at the experimental field of Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University using a two-factor design: Factor A – the spring wheat cultivars Oksamyt Myronivskyi and Dubravka; Factor B – different systems of foliar application of fungicides and fertilisers. The hydrothermal conditions during the study years were characterised by an uneven distribution of precipitation, alternating periods of excessive and insufficient moisture, and elevated air temperatures, which significantly affected the formation of the main spike length.
The lowest values of spike length were recorded in the control treatments (8.21–8.39 cm). The application of the fungicides Amistar Extra 280 SC and Elatus Ria 358 SC combined with urea and MgSO₄ increased the main spike length to 8.87–8.96 cm, while the addition of Nutrivant Plus Cereals fertiliser resulted in a further increase. The highest values were obtained with the combined application of fungicides and foliar fertilisers at BBCH growth stages 21 and 39, reaching 9.07–9.10 cm for the cultivar Oksamyt Myronivskyi and 8.77–8.80 cm for Dubravka. The cultivar Oksamyt Myronivskyi consistently produced longer spikes and exhibited lower variation in this trait under contrasting weather conditions.
Analysis of variance showed that in 2024 the dominant contribution to the formation of the main spike length was made by the agrotechnological factor (71.11%), whereas in 2025 its contribution decreased to 55.78%, while the influence of cultivar characteristics increased to 29.45%. At the same time, the interaction between the studied factors increased to 3.87%, indicating a greater importance of combining the genetic potential of cultivars with optimised crop management practices under less favourable growing conditions.
The obtained results confirm that the integrated application of fungicide protection and foliar fertilisation is an effective component of spring wheat cultivation technology, ensuring more stable formation of the main spike length and promoting a more efficient realisation of the productivity potential of modern cultivars under climate change conditions.
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