EFFECT OF FERTILIZERS ON THE YIELD, PROTEIN CONTENT AND AMINO ACID COMPOSITION OF WINTER CEREALS

Abstract

The effect of different fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and their combinations on the yield, raw protein content and amino acid composition were studied in field experiments. The levels of treatment were 200 kg/ha for nitrogen, 500-1000 kg/ha for phosphorus and potassium. Winter rye, triticale and wheat cultivar were grown in two subsequent years. Nitrogen fertilization in all cases increased the yield of grains and the raw protein content. The increase reached about 50% in average comparing with control samples grown without adding nitrogen fertilizers. Although there are significant differences between the different cereals studied, it can be generally stated that the increase in protein content is connected with a decrease in the essential to non-essential amino acid ratio. The decrease is higher if only nitrogen fertilizer is used and moderate if a combined treatment with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer is applied.