Effect of soil cultivation and fertilization on grain quality parameters of spring barley

The object of study was to check an influence of ways of tillage and fertilization on the grain quality parameters of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in given soil-climatic conditions. The trial was established in the years 1999-2001 in the maize growing area in central part of East-Slovakian Lowland on medium heavy Eutric Fluvisol (locality Vysoka nad Uhom). The territory has continental character of climate with average annual precipitation 591 mm and 397 mm during vegetation period and average year temperature 9.1 deg C and 15.2 deg C during vegetation period. The field treatments with spring barley variety Sladko were realized in natural conditions without irrigation with two soil tillage technologies (conv. - conventional tillage, i.e. with ploughing; min. - no-tillage technology, i.e. direct sowing without soil cultivation) and three variants of fertilization (NF - non-fertilized control; Fl -15 kg nitrogen, 21 kg phosphorus and 80 kg potassium per hectare; F2 - 46 kg nitrogen, 31 kg phosphorus and 120 kg potassium per hectare). Phosphorus was applied in form of superphosphate and potassium in form of potassium chloride. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied before seeding in form of sulphate ammonium. Seed rate was the same in all variants - 4.5 million of germinate grains per hectare. Influence of observed factors on the grain quality parameters is estimated by multifactor analysis of variance, analysis of regression and differences are tested by LSD-test with Statgraphics program. It is consequential from the results that nitrogen fertilizers effect was significant on crude protein content and starch content. Crude protein content increased by using of higher doses of nitrogen about 0.10 % compared with the second variant of fertilization and about 0.32 % compared with non-fertilized control. Content of crude protein did not overstep the limit value, specific for malting barley, in any variant of fertilization. Sowing without soil cultivation (no-till) had positive effect on content of crude protein in barley grains (level of crude protein decreased significantly compared with conventional tillage). The weather within experimental years had determining share in one-thousand grain weight variability of spring barley. Difference between year with optimal weather conditions (1999) and year with the worst weather conditions (2000) presents value up to 5.1 g.