Yield and quality of new varieties of soft winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under different soil and climatic conditions

Purpose. To evaluate new varieties of soft winter wheat under different soil and climatic conditions for the main economic and quality indicators, including yield, 1000 grain weight, protein and crude gluten content. Methods. The study of soft winter wheat varieties 'NOVIK', 'HIMARS', 'Papilon', 'Obivan' and 'STK21G' was conducted during two seasons (2021/22-2022/23) on the experimental fields of 16 structural units of the Ukrainian Institute for Plant Variety Examination located in the soil and climatic zones of Steppe, Forest-Steppe and Polissia. The trials were established and harvested in accordance with the methods of qualification testing of plant varieties. Research methods: field, laboratory, biochemical, descriptive and statistical, comparison and generalisation. Results. In all years of the study, the yield of the investigated varieties was higher in the Forest-Steppe zone than in the Steppe and Polissia. The average yield in 2021/22–2022/23 was 8.03–9.14 t/ha in Forest-Steppe, 7.9–8.63 t/ha in Polissia and 7.17–8.05 t/ha in Steppe. The highest yields were achieved by the varieties 'HIMARS' (8.71 t/ha) and 'Obivan' (9.14 t/ha). In terms of quality indicators, 'NOVIK' (14.2%), 'Papilon' (14.0%) and 'HIMARS' (14.0%) led in protein content; 'NOVIK' and 'Papilon' had the highest gluten mass fractions (25.0–29.2 and 24.6–29.1%, respectively). Evaluating the influence of growing zone conditions, it was found that in Polissya the protein content in grain varied from 12.1 to 13.5%, in Forest-Steppe – from 13.0 to 13.5%, in Steppe – from 13.1 to 14.2%. The mass fraction of crude gluten in the Polissia zone was 22.9–27.6%, in the Forest-Steppe zone – 25.3–28.6% and in the Steppe zone – 26.6–29.2%. Conclusions. Soil and climatic conditions influence the productivity and quality of common soft winter wheat. In particular, the maximum yield was observed in the Forest-Steppe zone. At the same time, rather low levels of protein and gluten in the grain were recorded in Polissia. Thus, the results confirm the feasibility of growing the investigated varieties in the Forest-Steppe and Polissia zones of Ukraine.