Triticale is a plant species which is characterized by high genetic potential for grain yield, as well as good nutritive properties of its grain, while it is not so demanding as wheat in regard to agrotechnic measures and ecological conditions, so it is regarded as a very promising crop. In order to reach high and stable grain yield, few demands ought to be fulfilled, such as favorable agroclimatic conditions of the production area, growing superior cultivars, and good production technology, especially sufficient and well-balanced mineral nutrition. In Serbia, acid soils represent a serious problem for field crop production. These are soils with bad air-water and physico-mechanical properties, so plant production carried out on them is highly unstable. For that reason, correction of those soils acidity is necessary to improve their productive properties, which has a long-term effect on increasing yield of the grown crops. This paper deals with the effect of agroclimatic conditions at trial locations and fertilization on grain yield of triticale. The experiment was established at two locations (Zaječar and Kraljevo), during two years (2009 and 2010), and included control variant without fertilization and three variants fertilized by mineral fertilizers, lime and manure (1. NP 1 K, 2. NP 2 K, and 3. NP 1 K + CaCO 3 + manure). The individual trials were set in random complete block design with three replications. The subject of the study was triticale cultivar KG-20. Results were processed by analysis of variance. Results of the study showed significant effect of location and fertilization on triticale grain yield. The average grain yield, for the all fertilization variants, was high-significantly greater in Zaječar (5.65 t ha -1 ) than in Kraljevo (4.93 t ha -1 ). Fertilization showed a highly significant effect on grain yield increase in regard to the control variant. The highest grain yield (7.04 kg ha -1 at Zaječar; 6.62 kg ha -1 at Kraljevo) was observed in the variant where combination of NPK, lime and manure was applied, and it was significantly higher regarding the other fertilization variants. There were no statistically significant differences (in both locations) between the first and second fertilization variants. Adequate application of lime fertilizers, in combination with manure and mineral fertilizers is the most efficient way for correction of undesired production properties of acid soils, which can cause huge increase of triticale grain yield, with the simultaneous improvement of its quality.

triticale, fertilization, location, agroclimatic conditions, grain yield

Presentation: oral