Respone of spring barley to NPK and S fertilisation: yielding, the content of protein and the accumulation of mineral nutrients

Barley is a cereal of great importance in the crop structure both in Europe and globally. The nutritional value of barley grain is largely shaped by agronomic factors, in particular by fertilisation, which can have a significant impact on the content of individual elements and their quantitative interrelations in grain. The aim of the research was to evaluate yielding, the content of protein and the accumulation of mineral nutrients by the grain of spring barley grown exposed to varied NPK and S fertilisation. The study was based on a three-factor field experiment in a randomised split-plot design with 3 replications. The 1st order factor (A) was fertilisation with nitrogen (n = 3): N1 – 40 kg ha-1, N2 – 80 kg ha-1, N3 – 120 kg ha-1. The 2nd order factor (B) was fertilisation with phosphorus and potassium (n = 2): P1 K1 – 30 kg P ha-1, 80 kg K ha-1; P2K2 – 45 kg P ha-1, 120 kg K ha-1. The 3rd order factor (C) was fertilisation with sulphur (n = 2): S0 – 0 kg ha-1 and S1 – 23 kg ha-1. The study showed that the application of 80 and 120 kg N ha-1 resulted in obtaining a significantly higher grain yield of spring barley and, usually, a higher grain protein content than did the application of 40 kg N ha-1. The increase in yield effected by sulphur fertilisation was significant in relation to the objects without sulphur fertilisation. The highest accumulation of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium was found following fertilisation with a dose of 80 kg N ha-1, as compared with the accumulation with grain from the experimental variant with the application of 40 kg N ha-1. As a result of sulphur application, considerably more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium was obtained in the grain yield. Sulphur applied in combination with a dose of 120 kg N ha-1 usually caused a significant decrease in the accumulation of the tested macroelements.