Effect of macro- and microfertilizers on oil radish seed yield in the forest steppe conditions of the Central Federal district of Russia

Abstract

We studied effect of macro- and micronutrient fertilizers on oil radish (Raphanus sativus var. oleifera Metzg.) seed yield in fields of the Lipetsk Research Institute of Rapeseed in 2019–2020. The research was conducted in the forest-steppe conditions of the Central Federal district of the Russian Federation. Field experiment variants were as following: control (without fertilizers), (NPK)40, (NPK)80 and N40 in autumn under plowing, (NPK)40 and N40 in spring under before-sowing cultivation, and as a part of the main (NPK)40 application, foliar application with Plantofola (20:20:20), Polydon Amino Start and Polydon Amino Mix. Soil of the experimental field was leached, heavy clay loam chernozem having the distinctive agrochemical characteristics. In general, the weather conditions for the oil radish growing season in 2019 were close to the average long-term norm, and in 2020 the weather conditions were distinguished by a significant lack of precipitation, which affected the formation of oil radish yield. The studies have shown that the effect patterns of the studied macro- and micronutrient fertilizers on oil radish yield in the years of the experiments did not practically differ. On the average in both 2019 and 2020 the yield increase has been noted. The application of nitrogen and complete mineral fertilizers for this crop under plowing in autumn and under before-sowing cultivation in spring significantly increased its yield, which reached the highest values (22.3 quintal per ha) in the experiment with (NPK)80 as the main fertilizer. At the same time, an equivalent oil radish seed yield was formed with less costly agricultural technologies, when with application of (NPK)40, in autumn under plowing foliar application with Plantofola (1.0 l per ha) was conducted in the phases of 5–7 true leaves and budding–beginning of flowering or Polydon Amino Start (1.0 l per ha) was used in the phase of 5–7 true leaves.