Linas Agro's "Grain Road 2023: Innovation in Practice" project started last September, and was crowned with a big event for farmers in June. In the experimental trials of wheat, rapeseed and beans installed at ŽŪB "Labūnava", scientists and agrotechnologists sought to discover new agrotechnological solutions that would allow for more sustainable and efficient growing of crops and higher yields. Today, Linas Agro AB already has research results, which it openly shares with the public.
"I have to admit that some of the results of "Grain Road 2023: Innovation in practice" surprised even me, who had already seen a lot of things, Gabrielė begins the conversation. "Some things, such as the results of the effectiveness of soil herbicides or fertilizers, although encouraging, are no longer surprising, which we could have expected, but what we discovered in the studies with fungicides and bacteria made us gasp with surprise."
Efficacy of soil herbicides under drought conditions
"In these studies, we once again confirmed that soil herbicides act as an insurance ticket. As dry as last year's autumn was, the herbicides worked perfectly and gave good results in both rapeseed and wheat crops. Effectiveness was shown in all the mixtures we prepared, spraying both in autumn and in spring. It is important to note that herbicide rates have been reduced in all mixtures according to ADAMA, Corteva, Syngenta, Nufarm and BASF product recommendations, as herbicides always work better in mixtures. This is especially important to know for those who seek to farm more sustainably and at the same time spend less, - assures Gabrielė Pšibišauskienė. - For example, when destroying grain stubble in rapeseed fields and performing timely spraying, the rate of "Fusilade forte 150 EC" can be reduced to 0.5 l/ha ., which allows high efficiency with optimal investments''.
However, G. Pšibišauskienė emphasizes that herbicide mixtures at low rates will do their job perfectly only in well-maintained fields where there are no widespread resistant, aggressive weeds. The good news is that, according to the doctor of sciences, there are really many well-controlled fields in Lithuania.
Growth regulators - only together with fungicides
A study on the effectiveness of growth regulators in winter rapeseed fields confirmed the effectiveness of these pesticides. The growth regulators used in the fall ensured that the canola did not overgrow - it did not stretch its neck and did not freeze during the winter. And growth regulators applied in the spring increased the number of branches of the plant, which later generated a higher yield.
"In order to achieve a good result, in rapeseed agrotechnology, growth regulators can be used once, twice or three times - in autumn and spring, and always in a mixture together with fungicides. This way they will be much more efficient - they will increase the number of branches, reduce the height and generate a higher yield much more efficiently.
The test was set up in the winter rapeseed "DYNAMIC" crop, which was inhomogeneous, characterized by plants of various heights and thinning. We chose "Juventus 90", "Toprex 375 SC" and "Orius 250 EW" for crop leveling, we compared these products with the mixtures available on the market and used in production", shares G. Pšibišauskienė.
In 2023, according to the results of commissioned tests conducted by LAMMCŽI, the mentioned products increased the yield of winter rapeseed by "Juventus 90" by 15% and "Toprex 375 SC" by 13% respectively. and "Orius 250 EW" - 3 percent compared to unsprayed. In addition, these studies have shown that in "weak" crops, the use of unreduced rates of growth regulators and fungicide mixtures can also cause yield losses.
Appropriate fertilizer technology generates a yield supplement of up to 600 kg per ha
"We installed YARA Lietuva fertilizer testing in ETANA for winter wheat. Bulk fertilizers - "YaraMila NPK (S) 14-14-21 (6)" and "YaraBela AXAN NS 27-4" were used for crops. Foliar sprays with micronutrients and macronutrients were also applied several times: YaraVita KOMBIPHOS, YaraVita GRAMITREL and YaraVita UNIVERSAL BIO. A combination of "YaraBela AXAN NS 27-4" and "YaraVita THIOTRAC" fertilizers was used to improve quality.
Compared to the conventional technology used by ŽŪB "Labūnava", applying the "YARA Lietuva" technology, the yield was higher. Harvest supplement - 600 kg per ha. This is already a fundamental difference", Gabrielė Pšibišauskienė shares the results.
Another test was performed with "Agonutrition" microelement and macroelement mixtures. As G. Pšibišauskienė shares, here they wanted to see if there would be a difference in yield if more fertilizer was used on the plant than recommended by the manufacturer. And as research results revealed, there would be no significant difference.
ŽŪB "Labūnava" specialists take great care of their agricultural land: they apply crop rotation that improves soil properties, fertilize with organic fertilizers, and grow crops and grasslands in crop rotation. Due to the mentioned soil improvement properties, we do not get a significant difference after increasing the microelement and macroelement sprays through the leaves, because the plants are able to absorb the nutrients in the soil.
The use of micro-elemental and macro-elemental mixtures becomes important only in stressful circumstances, such as drought or cold, which was characteristic of the warm season of 2023. The plants were bothered by the cold spring and the dry beginning of the summer", Dr. shares his experience. Gabriele Pšibišauskiene.
The interaction of nitrogen-fixing bacteria with biostimulants was surprising
In the "Grain Road 2023" research, a real discovery for me was how nitrogen-fixing bacteria interact with biostimulators. I realized that these microorganisms are only active when the plant is active. If it is healthy, vitally active, these nitrogen-fixing bacteria help it. But if the plant is stressed, so are the bacteria. Bacteria must be encouraged to live in the same way as the plant, because they are also part of the plant, its inhabitants. That is why, in the technology that uses nitrogen-fixing bacteria, it is mandatory to use biostimulants that supplement the plant with the components it needs: amino acids, polysaccharides, zinc, manganese. In this way, biostimulants will encourage the life of not only the plant, but also the bacteria", - assures the doctor of agrotechnology sciences.
To AB Linas Agro in 2023. a trial of foliar N-fixing bacterial preparations included Corteva Agriscience, Nando's and Agronutrition's products performing a similar function in plants: Utrisha™ N, BioN and N-Leaf. "IKAR" biostimulants - "Revolt" and "Ocean" - in the fertilized fields of ŽŪB "Labūnava" revealed themselves as a highly effective agrotechnological solution: a one-time use of these products in winter wheat BBCH 31 gave a yield increase of 60 kg. This means that by using biostimulants throughout the period of intensive growth of the plant, we could obtain the maximum yield benefit.
Fungicides - not only for protection against pests. Their role is much more important
Gabrielė Pšibišauskienė shares that in the spring, pesticide trade manager Darius Poškaitis, pesticide product expert Petras Kiseliovas and the team of ŽŪB "Labūnava" had intensive discussions about spraying wheat with fungicides. An extremely low prevalence of diseases - septoriosis and stripe disease - was recorded, so it was considered which one of the two sprayings should be abandoned: in 2023 on June 14, an average of 0.25 percent was recorded for winter wheat "ETANA" at BBCH 65 stage, on leaf 3 (leaf 1 and 2 without damage). septoriosis, 0.44 percent. powdery mildew and 0.13 percent. striae. Two weeks later, with wheat at BBCH 75, 2.56 percent was found. septoriosis and 3.94 percent. intensity of striae.
This indicates that the violations were extremely minor. However, it was decided not to give up spraying with fungicides, and what the results revealed surprised everyone. Due to the fungicides, the obtained wheat yield was even 606-790 kg higher than where no fungicides were used.
The fungicide "Revytrex" 1.0 l/ha increased the yield by 716 kg/ha, and the fungicide mixture "Soratel" 0.5 l/ha and "Mirador" 0.5 l/ha increased the yield of winter wheat "Etana" by half a ton. After using "Elatus Era" fungicide, the yield increased even up to 790 kg/ha.
The first fungicidal spraying of the crop rotation field of ŽŪB "Labūnava" and the spraying of the mentioned fungicidal test (T1), when the winter wheat was in stage BBCH 31, was carried out with the herbicide "Delaro Forte" 1.3 L/ha.
This means that fungicides in plant growth technologies in the dry period strengthen the plant's immunity, provide a greening effect: they allow the plant to better absorb substances, keep the plant green and give an additional yield even in the absence of intensive spread of diseases. More detailed results will be presented during the spring seminars of "Linas Agro".
The crop rotation fields of the agricultural company Labūnava, which entered the Grūdo kelios 2023 test platform, were sprayed with highly accurate self-propelled sprayers Agrifac Condor and Agrifac Endurance.
Yields of winter wheat varieties exceeded expectations
The results of the "Grain Road 2023" research were also observed in the variety test fields. According to Dotnuva Seeds executive director Sigit Aug, the winter crop yield forecasts were pessimistic due to the prolonged dry period, but they did not materialize. In the test of winter wheat varieties, the yield of wheat this year was as much as 25 percent. higher than last year.
However, summer crops, especially spring wheat, oats, and beans, were severely affected by the drought. In tests of summer plant varieties, yields were 18-33 percent. lower than last year.
According to Sigitas Augas, out of all the winter wheat varieties already on the market tested on the Grūdo kelios 2023 test platform, the varieties - LG Nida, Asory and Etana - performed the best. Their productivity, compared to standard varieties, was 101-103 percent. The quality class was second. The lower grade was due to poorer protein and gluten scores.
"After evaluating all the characteristics, quality, and productivity of the varieties, we selected new varieties that turned out to be much superior to the standard ones. Their research continues, and some of the most promising ones have been transferred for research to the Lithuanian State Research Center for Plant Varieties", says Sigitas Augas.
"Winter rape varieties were not harvested, because in 2022 in autumn, after the rapeseed sowing, the dry period settled, the rapeseed germinated very unevenly. It was decided to reject the test and not to evaluate the yields of rapeseed varieties. The test was left only to visual observation of the breeds. However, it was possible to harvest from the demonstration fields that were sown in Šakii, Pasvalis and Joniškis districts. The average yield of these trials was determined to be 4.72 t/ha, and the highest yield was obtained from the following varieties: "Janosh" (5.29 t/ha), "Dominator" (4.95 t/ha), "KWS Lauras" (4, 88 t/ha) and "InV 1310" (4.75 t/ha)", Sigitas Augas, executive director of Dotnuva Seeds, summarized the research results.
Calculations of greenhouse gas emissions have been made
In addition to the aforementioned "Grain path 2023: Innovation in practice" studies, calculations of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were carried out in the winter wheat, winter rapeseed and bean fields of ŽŪB "Labūnava", the values of which depend on the use of different fertilizers used in the technology, their quantity, plants the diversity of protective measures, the number of tillage and crop maintenance operations.
According to MB "Biogalia" calculations, GHG emissions were determined: for beans - 1440.7 kgCO2eq/ha, for winter rape - 1121.1 kgCO2eq/ha and for winter wheat - 1204.9 kgCO2eq/ha.
As the results show, the amount of emissions due to the selected agricultural machinery (high-precision spraying self-propelled sprayers Agrifac Condor and Agrifac Endurance) allowed to reduce the number of entries into the fields and thus achieve lower than average gas emission values.
AB "Linas Agro" thanks all partners, and especially the team of ŽŪB "Labūnava", for sincere cooperation during the entire "Grūdo kelias 2023: Innovation in practice" project.
