The article highlights the results of studying the soft winter wheat response to the duration of enforced winter dormancy and the time of vegetation recommencing, their impact on growth, development and the survival of the crops. It is found that the impact of those factors in the conditions of central Forest-Steppe of Ukraine is essential, which is to be taken into consideration when scheduling the measures of spring and summer care over the cultivated crops, in particular, where the spring extra nutrition takes place, pesticides and growth regulators are applied, the spaced planting resowing or partial resowing issues are to be settled down. The ecological effect of spring vegetation recommencing dates does not expose annually, therefore it is not always possible to predict the plant development type, but it is possible, nevertheless, to influence the processes of growth, development and survival of plants throughout spring-summer period and the development of their production capacity by means of introducing the intense technologies, optimization of mineral nutrition and the use of plant growth regulators, protection from rogues, diseases, pests.

The article highlights the results of studying the soft winter wheat response to the duration of enforced winter dormancy and the time of vegetation recommencing, their impact on growth, development and the survival of the crops. It is found that the impact of those factors in the conditions of central Forest-Steppe of Ukraine is essential, which is to be taken into consideration when scheduling the measures of spring and summer care over the cultivated crops, in particular, where the spring extra nutrition takes place, pesticides and growth regulators are applied, the spaced planting resowing or partial resowing issues are to be settled down. The ecological effect of spring vegetation recommencing dates does not expose annually, therefore it is not always possible to predict the plant development type, but it is possible, nevertheless, to influence the processes of growth, development and survival of plants throughout spring-summer period and the development of their production capacity by means of introducing the intense technologies, optimization of mineral nutrition and the use of plant growth regulators, protection from rogues, diseases, pests.

Мета. Визначити вплив умов зволоження та обробки насіння біологічними препаратами Азотофіт-р, Фітоцид, Мікофренд-р, Органік-баланс Монофосфор на ростові процеси на початкових етапах життя рослин, формування густоти стояння та урожайність зерна сортів пшениці озимої.Методи. Для досліджень використовували загально­наукові, спеціальні, польові, математично-ста­тистичні та розрахунково-порівняльні методи.Результати. Запорукою високої врожайності пшениці озимої є одержання дружних сходів, формування оптимальної густоти стояння рослин на час збирання з урахуванням показників їх виживаності, коефіцієнту продуктивної кущистості та вивчення нових сортів, адаптованих до змін клімату. За результатами досліджень визначено, що в середньому за 2020–2022 рр. більшу урожайність зерна серед досліджуваних сортів пшениці озимої сформовано у рослин сорту ‘Дума одеська’ (8,38 т/га) на зрошенні у варіанті з передпосівною обробкою насіння біопрепаратом Азотофіт-р, що на 0,78 т/га більше, порівнюючи з контролем (обробка водою). У варіанті без зрошення урожайність становила 6,08 т/га, що менше за контроль на 2,3 т/га або 27,4%.Висновки. Розроблені елементи технології вирощування сортів пшениці озимої дають можливість сформувати оптимальну густоту стояння рослин та значно підвищити урожайність зерна в умовах Південного Степу України. | Purpose. To determine the influence of the moistening conditions and treatment of seeds with biological preparations Azotofit-r, Fitotsyd, Mycofriend-r, Orhanik-balans Monofosfor on growth processes at the initial plant life stages, formation of stand density and grain yield of winter wheat varieties.Methods. General scientific, special, field, mathematical-statistical and calculation-comparative methods were used for research.Results. The key to a high yield of winter wheat is in obtaining even stands, forming the optimal density of plant stands at the time of harvesting, taking into account their survival rates, the coefficient of productive tillering, and the study of new varieties adapted to climate changes. According to the research results, it was determined that, on average, for 2020–2022, the highest grain yield among the studied varieties of winter wheat was recorded in plants of the variety ‘Duma Odeska’ (8.38 t/ha) under irrigation in the variant with pre-sowing treatment of seeds with the biopreparation Azotofit-r, which was 0.78 t/ha more compared to the control (treatment with water). In the variant without irrigation, the yield was 6.08 t/ha, which was less than the control by 2.3 t/ha or 27.4%.Conclusions. The developed elements of the technology of winter wheat varieties growing make it possible to form the optimal plant density and significantly increase grain yield in the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine

Seeds are a vector of genetic progress and, as such, they play a significant role in the sustainability of the agri-food system. The current global seed market is worth USD 60 billion that is expected to reach USD 80 billion by 2025. Seeds are most often treated before their planting with both chemical and biological agents/products to secure good seed quality and high yield by reducing or preventing losses caused by diseases. There is increasing interest in biological seed treatments as alternatives to chemical seed treatments as the latter have several negative human health and environmental impacts. However, no study has yet quantified the effectiveness of biological seed treatments to enhance crop performance and yield. Our meta-analysis encompassing 396 studies worldwide reveals for the first time that biological seed treatments significantly improve seed germination (7±6%), seedling emergence (91±5%), plant biomass (53±5%), disease control (55±1%), and crop yield (21±2%) compared to untreated seeds across contrasted crop groups, target pathogens, climatic regions, and experimental conditions. We conclude that biological seed treatments may represent a sustainable solution to feed the increasing global populations while avoiding negative effects on human health and ensuring environmental sustainability.

Magnetic or oxidation treatment of irrigation water can promote the transport of water and nutrients by the root system, improve the efficiency of water and fertilizer use and potentially increase yields. Hydroponic and field experiments were conducted to explore how irrigation with magnetized and/or oxidized water affects grain yield and water-use efficiency (WUE) in winter wheat with an emphasis on physiological changes in the root system. Hydroponic cultivation of winter wheat with pure groundwater and brackish water included the following treatments: control group (CK−G, CK−B); magnetization (GM, BM); oxidation (GO, BO); and the combination of magnetization and oxidation (G(M+O), B(M+O), G(O+M), B(O+M)). Field experiments only tested irrigation with various types of groundwater, including the control group (IG), magnetization treatment (IGM), oxidation treatment (IGO), and the combination of the two treatment methods (IG(M+O), IG(O+M)). Hydroponic cultivation revealed that the magnetic treatment and oxidation of both groundwater and brackish water can significantly improve the root vigor of winter wheat, i.e., improvements of 100.5–253.7% and 100.4–213.9% were seen in the groundwater and brackish treatment groups, respectively, relative to the control group. The root length density (RLD) of wheat increased by 67.6% (GM), 79.4% (GO), 7.5% (BM), and 40.0% (BO) relative to the respective control groups (CK−G and CK−B). Moreover, the root weight density (RWD) for BO and B(O+M) treatments improved significantly (66.7% and 55.4%, respectively) relative to CK−B. The maximal increases in root surface area density (RSD) were observed in treatments GO and B(O+M), which showed values 125% and 100%, respectively, higher than what was measured for the control groups. The root/shoot ratios of the GO and G(O+M) treatments improved significantly (by 75.3% and 62.0%, respectively) relative to CK−G. The results of field experiments showed that wheat in the IGO and IG(O+M) plots absorbed more water from the soil than wheat in the of IG plots (increases of 13.9% and 16.9%, respectively). Furthermore, the IGO and IG(O+M) treatments produced significantly higher grain yields and WUE than the IG plots, with IGO producing the maximum yield (11.7 × 10³ kg ha⁻¹) and IG(O+M) the highest observed WUE (30.3 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹). Hence, the research provides clear evidence that the irrigation of winter wheat with magnetized and/or oxidized water can increase grain yields and WUE.

Magnetic or oxidation treatment of irrigation water can promote the transport of water and nutrients by the root system, improve the efficiency of water and fertilizer use and potentially increase yields. Hydroponic and field experiments were conducted to explore how irrigation with magnetized and/or oxidized water affects grain yield and water-use efficiency (WUE) in winter wheat with an emphasis on physiological changes in the root system. Hydroponic cultivation of winter wheat with pure groundwater and brackish water included the following treatments: control group (CK−G, CK−B); magnetization (GM, BM); oxidation (GO, BO); and the combination of magnetization and oxidation (G(M+O), B(M+O), G(O+M), B(O+M)). Field experiments only tested irrigation with various types of groundwater, including the control group (IG), magnetization treatment (IGM), oxidation treatment (IGO), and the combination of the two treatment methods (IG(M+O), IG(O+M)). Hydroponic cultivation revealed that the magnetic treatment and oxidation of both groundwater and brackish water can significantly improve the root vigor of winter wheat, i.e., improvements of 100.5–253.7% and 100.4–213.9% were seen in the groundwater and brackish treatment groups, respectively, relative to the control group. The root length density (RLD) of wheat increased by 67.6% (GM), 79.4% (GO), 7.5% (BM), and 40.0% (BO) relative to the respective control groups (CK−G and CK−B). Moreover, the root weight density (RWD) for BO and B(O+M) treatments improved significantly (66.7% and 55.4%, respectively) relative to CK−B. The maximal increases in root surface area density (RSD) were observed in treatments GO and B(O+M), which showed values 125% and 100%, respectively, higher than what was measured for the control groups. The root/shoot ratios of the GO and G(O+M) treatments improved significantly (by 75.3% and 62.0%, respectively) relative to CK−G. The results of field experiments showed that wheat in the IGO and IG(O+M) plots absorbed more water from the soil than wheat in the of IG plots (increases of 13.9% and 16.9%, respectively). Furthermore, the IGO and IG(O+M) treatments produced significantly higher grain yields and WUE than the IG plots, with IGO producing the maximum yield (11.7 × 10³ kg ha⁻¹) and IG(O+M) the highest observed WUE (30.3 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹). Hence, the research provides clear evidence that the irrigation of winter wheat with magnetized and/or oxidized water can increase grain yields and WUE.

Magnetic or oxidation treatment of irrigation water can promote the transport of water and nutrients by the root system, improve the efficiency of water and fertilizer use and potentially increase yields. Hydroponic and field experiments were conducted to explore how irrigation with magnetized and/or oxidized water affects grain yield and water-use efficiency (WUE) in winter wheat with an emphasis on physiological changes in the root system. Hydroponic cultivation of winter wheat with pure groundwater and brackish water included the following treatments: control group (CK&minus:G, CK&minus:B): magnetization (GM, BM): oxidation (GO, BO): and the combination of magnetization and oxidation (G(M+O), B(M+O), G(O+M), B(O+M)). Field experiments only tested irrigation with various types of groundwater, including the control group (IG), magnetization treatment (IGM), oxidation treatment (IGO), and the combination of the two treatment methods (IG(M+O), IG(O+M)). Hydroponic cultivation revealed that the magnetic treatment and oxidation of both groundwater and brackish water can significantly improve the root vigor of winter wheat, i.e., improvements of 100.5&ndash:253.7% and 100.4&ndash:213.9% were seen in the groundwater and brackish treatment groups, respectively, relative to the control group. The root length density (RLD) of wheat increased by 67.6% (GM), 79.4% (GO), 7.5% (BM), and 40.0% (BO) relative to the respective control groups (CK&minus:G and CK&minus:B). Moreover, the root weight density (RWD) for BO and B(O+M) treatments improved significantly (66.7% and 55.4%, respectively) relative to CK&minus:B. The maximal increases in root surface area density (RSD) were observed in treatments GO and B(O+M), which showed values 125% and 100%, respectively, higher than what was measured for the control groups. The root/shoot ratios of the GO and G(O+M) treatments improved significantly (by 75.3% and 62.0%, respectively) relative to CK&minus:G. The results of field experiments showed that wheat in the IGO and IG(O+M) plots absorbed more water from the soil than wheat in the of IG plots (increases of 13.9% and 16.9%, respectively). Furthermore, the IGO and IG(O+M) treatments produced significantly higher grain yields and WUE than the IG plots, with IGO producing the maximum yield (11.7 &times: 103 kg ha&minus:1) and IG(O+M) the highest observed WUE (30.3 kg ha&minus:1 mm&minus:1). Hence, the research provides clear evidence that the irrigation of winter wheat with magnetized and/or oxidized water can increase grain yields and WUE.

International audience | Seeds are a vector of genetic progress and, as such, they play a significant role in the sustainability of the agri-food system. The current global seed market is worth USD 60 billion that is expected to reach USD 80 billion by 2025. Seeds are most often treated before their planting with both chemical and biological agents/products to secure good seed quality and high yield by reducing or preventing losses caused by diseases. There is increasing interest in biological seed treatments as alternatives to chemical seed treatments as the latter have several negative human health and environmental impacts. However, no study has yet quantified the effectiveness of biological seed treatments to enhance crop performance and yield. Our meta-analysis encompassing 396 studies worldwide reveals for the first time that biological seed treatments significantly improve seed germination (7±6%), seedling emergence (91±5%), plant biomass (53±5%), disease control (55±1%), and crop yield (21±2%) compared to untreated seeds across contrasted crop groups, target pathogens, climatic regions, and experimental conditions. We conclude that biological seed treatments may represent a sustainable solution to feed the increasing global populations while avoiding negative effects on human health and ensuring environmental sustainability.

The article provides results of efficiency of double screening by quantity of normally developed germs affected of unfavorable abiotic factors, namely decreased temperatures of seeds sprouting and embryogenesis at extremes (heat, shortage of water).