THE IMPACT OF NITROGEN AND SULPHUR ON SPRING WHEAT PRODUCTIVITY AND THEIR CONTENTS IN GRAIN

In order to determine how nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) fertilizers influence spring wheat cv. ‘Munk’ productivity, a three-year field studies were carried out at the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture in Dotnuva, Central Lithuania. The experiments were composed of three N rates (0, 60 and 120 kg ha–1) and three S rates (0, 15 and 30 kg ha–1).Year (or growing conditions) significantly influenced the number of ears per m2, 1000 grain weight, grain yield (P ≤ 0.01) and number of grain per ear (P ≤ 0.05). The highest grain yield (5540 kg ha–1 on average) was obtained in moderately cool with optimal moisture regime growing season. N rate increased number of ears per m2, grain yield, and number of grains per ear (P ≤ 0.01); however decreased 1000 grain weight (P ≤ 0.05). S rate positively influenced number of grains per ear (P ≤ 0.05), only. The use of N60 rate ensured the highest N and S fertilization efficiency (NFUE, SFUE); meanwhile the effect of S rate was inessential for the both mentioned parameters. N and S content in grain highly varied between the years. N120 rate substantially increased N content in grain; the analogous was effect of S30 rate. S application caused a diminishing of N:S ratio, thus substantially improving grain quality