The importance of previous crops and mineral nutrition in the formation of yield and quality of spring barley in the Perm region

Abstract. The purpose is to evaluate the influence of previous culture and mineral nutrition on the yield and quality of grain and seeds of spring barley in the conditions of the Middle Urals. Methods. The research was conducted at the Perm Agricultural Research Institute (a branch of the Perm Federal Research Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences) over the period 2021–2023 on sod-podzolic heavy loam soil. A two-factor field experiment with different previous culture and mineral nutrition backgrounds was carried out. Data were processed using B. A. Dospekhov’s methods, and grain quality was determined using standard techniques. Results. The limiting factor affecting plant growth and productivity is soil moisture, which influences both the size and quality of crops. Studies have shown that the soil under vetch-oat mixtures had the highest level of productive moisture at the start of the growing season. However, by the end of the season, the highest level was found under clover. During the research period, the most significant decrease in soil moisture was observed after barley, possibly due to the smaller surface area covered by this crop. The study of barley seed germination showed that they met the required standards. Seeds grown after vetch-oat had the best germination rate (95 %), while those preceding barley had the worst (92 %). This suggests that choosing the right precursor and providing optimal nutrition can lead to increased yield and improved grain quality. The yield of barley can vary widely, ranging from 1.06 to 3.77 tons per hectare. The study results show that using vetch-oat as a precursor can provide the best indicators for barley yield and quality. The optimal combination of precursor and mineral nutrient background can significantly improve the efficiency of barley production in agriculture. Scientific novelty: The complex effect of fertilizers and precursor substances on the formation of barley productivity and quality is being studied in the Perm region for the first time. The methods of barley management and quality control studied allow for obtaining highly productive seeds and achieving the planned yield.