Introduction

New high-yielding varieties of polystichous barley, as well as new types of fertilizers are introduced into farming. Chemical regulation of plants growth and development becomes more and more important. Humic preparations take a special place among biologically active compounds of natural origin (Garmash N. Y., 2012). They are widely used for increasing efficiency of nutrients of fertilizers and soil, increasing immunity of plants to adverse environmental factors, and for improving the quality of the resulting product (Voronina L. P., 2012).

Humic acids feature anti-stress and antimutagenic properties, and they activate the DNA repair processes in extreme conditions, normalize intracellular metabolism, stabilize parameters of the mitotic cycle, thus adapting plants to pesticides and adverse environmental factors (Grekhova I. V., 2005).

New forms of humic preparations include liquid peat potassium humate, which is a complex organic-mineral fertilizer. The main active substances of the preparation are physiologically active forms of potassium salts of humic acid (potassium humates). The preparation is made on the basis of lowland peat, and its structure preserves a lot of biologically active substances, i.e., products of microorganisms. The preparation also contains aminoacids, carbohydrates, water-soluble carboxylic acids, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace elements such as iron, zinc, copper, boron and molybdenum. Salts of humic acids have a physiologically active effect that stimulates growth and development of seedlings of treated seed (Erokhin A. I., 2011).

The positive effect of potassium humate has been found in many cultivated crops. Obviously, these effects are expected to be found in the fairly new and becoming widespread crop, namely, the polystichous barley. High yield of the polystichous barley in the conditions of Mordovia was obtained in experiments of A. A. Saulin (2011).

Methods

In order to reach this goal, field experiments were started in the experimental farm of the Mordovian State University n.a. N. P. Ogarev, according to the following scheme.

The use of mineral fertilizers (factor A): 1.1 – without fertilizers (reference); 1.2 – N₃₀P₃₀K₃₀; 1.3 – N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀; 1.4 – N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀; and 1.5 – N₁₂₀P₁₂K₁₂₀.

Introduction of potassium humate (factor B): 2.1 – without potassium humate (reference); 2.2 – introduction of potassium humate during cultivation (1.0 l/ha); 2.3 – seed treatment with potassium humate (0.2 l/t); 2.4 – introduction of potassium humate for cultivation + seed treatment (double introduction); 2.5 – introduction of potassium humate for cultivation + seed treatment + spraying plants during the tillering phase (0.5 l/ha) (triple introduction); 2.6 – introduction of potassium humate for cultivation + seed treatment + spraying plants during the tillering phase + during the earing phase (0.5 l/ha) (four times application); 2.7 – introduction of potassium humate during cultivation + seed treatment + spraying plants during the tillering phase + during the earing phase + during the kernel milk line phase (0.5 l/ha) (fivetimes introduction).

The experiments started in 2010, 2011, 2012 in four repetitions. Plots allocation was systematic. In the experiment, the size of the first order plots was 112 m² (28×4 m), that of the second – 16 m² (4×4 m), and the declared area of plots was 4 m². During the experiments, observations, surveys and analyses were carried out according to the standard techniques.

The farming techniques during the experiment were recommended for the region, except for the studied variants.

During the experiments, observations, analyses and calculations were carried out according to the standard techniques. The obtained data were processed using the analysis-of-variance method according to B. A. Dospekhov (1985) using statistical software.

Meteorological conditions during the years of the research varied. During the vegetation season of 2010, the amount of precipitation was 25 mm, the sum of active temperatures above 10 °C amounted to 1318 °C, the hydrothermal index was 0.2. In 2011, these figures were respectively 144 mm, 1141 °C and 1.3, and in 2012 – 127 mm, 1422 °C and 0.9. Thus, year 2010 was extremely arid, year 2011 was characterized by abundant moisture, and year 2012 – was characterized by moisturization.

Results

Our research showed that over the three years, introduction of N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ increased density of seedlings, as compared to the reference, by 8 % on the average. The use of potassium humate during cultivation and seeds treatment contributed to increasing density by 26 plants per square meter. In consideration of the individual differences, a tendency to increasing this indicator was observed, in the same variant on the background of N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀. No interaction between factors was observed (Table 1).

Table 1: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on the density of seedlings, pcs/m² (average for years 2010-2012)

In the experiments of A. V. Marov (2009), the use of fertilizers had no effect on the number of seedlings, and under the influence of treating seeds with potassium humate, a tendency to growth by 2.1% to 2.7% was observed.

On the average, between years 2010 and 2012, plentitude of seedlings of polystichous barley over the years of the research varied depending on the factors studied. Introduction of N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ and potassium humate for cultivation and seed treatment increases it by 8%, as compared to the reference. When considering individual differences, a tendency was observed to increasing this indicator against the background of N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ in the same variant of using potassium humate, i.e., interaction of factors was observed (Table 2).

Table 2: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on density of seedlings, % (average for years 2010-2012)

We found strong correlation (r = 0.82) between the plentitude of seedlings and the grain yield.

The effect of various mineral nutrition backgrounds and potassium humate on water consumption rate is shown in Table 3.

Table 3: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on water consumption rate

Our studies showed that on the average, for 2 years, the coefficient of water consumption was minimal after the introduction of N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀. The use of potassium humate reduced it from 321 to 161. In considering individual differences, a similar pattern persisted in using these variants.

Water consumption ratio varied over the years. It was the highest in 2012 and significantly lower in 2011.

Our studies did not identify the influence of mineral fertilizers and methods of using potassium humate on occurrence of phenological phases in barley development.

It was established that the height of barley plants varied with years and factors studied (table 4).

Table 4: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on plants height, cm (average for years 2010-2012)

On the average between years 2010 and 2012, the maximum height of plants was observed after the introduction of N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀. The use of potassium humate increased it from 3.7 to 9.7. It had the highest values in the fifth and the subsequent variants. In considering individual differences after two-to-five times introduction of potassium humate, this indicator had the highest value against the background of fertilizers N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ in the amount of XX kg/ha of a.m. No interaction of factors was found.

Ear length depends on availability of growth factors during the tillering stage. So, after the introduction of N₇₇P₆₅To₄₀, ear length increased by 1.5 cm (Deriglazova G. M., 2012).

In our studies, polystichous barley ear length varied by years and variants studied. On the average, within 3 years, it had the maximum value against the background of mineral nutrition with N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. (6.9 cm). The use of potassium humate in the fifth, the sixth and the seventh variants determined the precedence of this indicator (6.5 to 6.6 cm), increasing it by 16.1-17.9 %. In considering particular differences, a tendency towards its precedence was observed against the backgrounds of N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀ and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ in the amount of XX kg/ha of a.m. – from the fifth to the seventh variants of using potassium humate, against the background of N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. – from the fourth to the seventh variants. No interaction of factors was found.

The dynamics of leaf area registered in our experiments are given in Table 5.

Table 5: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on leaf area in the phase of earing, thousand m²/ha (average per 2010-2012)

On the average, over the three years of research, in the phase of tillering, the maximum leaf area (26.4 thousand m²/ha) was obtained after the introduction of fertilizer N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m., and after three to five times introduction of potassium humate (22.0-22.1 thousand. m²/ha). By individual difference, advantage was marked against the background of mineral nutrition with N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. (27.1-27.3 thousand m²/ha), and after the introduction of potassium humate for cultivation + seed treatment + plants treatment during the tillering stage, and during further treatment during the phase of earing + the milky stage. Interaction of factors was observed. In the phase of earing, after the introduction of various doses of fertilizers and the use of potassium humate, a similar pattern of change in leaf area, and in the phase of tillering was observed. However, the absolute values were higher. In considering particular maximum differences, it was against the background of fertilizers N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. from the fourth to the seventh variants of using potassium humate. Interaction of factors was detected.

By the time of the grain milky stage, the greatest leaf area (39.8 thousand m²/ha) was noted against the background of mineral nutrition with N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. and after three to five times of using potassium humate (36.4 to 36.6 thousand m²/ha), in considering individual differences – against the background of mineral nutrition N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. and at two-to-five times of using potassium humate (40.8 to 41.2 thousand. m²/ha). Interaction of factors was observed.

Strong correlation was found between the size of the leaves during the earing phase of barley and the yield of grain (r = 0.87).

On the average, between years 2010 and 2012, the results of our studies showed that the maximum value of the photosynthetic capacity (1.59 million m²×days/ha) was observed on the background of mineral nutrition N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. With increasing number of processing with potassium humate, a tendency to its increase was observed, and its maximum level (1.42 m m²×days/ha) was observed after three to five times use. In considering individual differences, this indicator had the highest values (1.63-1.64 million m²/ha × days) against the same background of fertilizers after three-to-five-times introduction of potassium humate. Interaction of factors was observed. On average, for three years, the polystichous barley had the maximum net photosynthetic productivity (3.25-3.29 g/m² per day) after the introduction of N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ kg/ha of a.m. After using potassium humate, it increased in the sixth and seventh variants (3.34 and 3.36 g/m² per day). When individual differences were considered, its maximum (3.78-3.80 g/m² per day) was noted in the same variants of using potassium humate and after introducing the fertilizer N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. Interaction of factors was observed.

The influence of fertilizers and potassium humate on the structure of the yield of polystichous barley in our research is shown in Tables 6 to 8.

Table 6: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on the number of common stems, pcs/m² (average for years 2010-2012)

On the average for years 2010 to 2012, the maximum total number of common stems was observed against the backgrounds of N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ kg/ha of a.m. After using potassium humate, this indicator was the highest in variants from fifth to seventh. Its additional use it in the phases of earing and grain milky stage did not lead to an increase in their number. By individual difference, the highest value of the indicator was observed against the same backgrounds of mineral nutrition from the fifth to the seventh variant of using potassium humate. Interaction of factors was detected.

On the average within the three years, the number of productive stems was observed against the backgrounds of mineral nutrition with N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ kg/ha of a.m.

Table 7: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on the number of productive stems, pcs/m² (average for years 2010-2012)

It increased with increasing the number of treatments with humate and reached its maximum in variants from the fifth to the seventh. By individual differences, this indicator has the advantage in the same variants of using humate against the backgrounds of mineral nutrition with N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ kg/ha of a.m. Interaction of factors was detected.

Strong correlation between the number of productive stems and grain yield (r = 0.91) and the weight of grain per ear (= 0.87) was found.

Significant and substantial relations between the yield and the number of productive stems was found in the studies of R. M. Badreev (2008). Increasing plant density has a positive effect on the yield of grain.

On the average, in years 2010 to 2012, the maximum weight of grain per ear was observed after the introduction of fertilizers N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. and after using potassium humate for cultivation + seed treatment + spraying plants during the tillering phase + during the earing phase, and in the next variant, as well.

Table 8: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on weight of grain per ear, g (average for years 2010 to 2012)

The maximum value of the indicator was observed in case of combined effect of these two factors. Their interaction was observed.

In our studies, the summarized indicators of the stricture of elements of the polystichous barley yield structure indicate significant changes in the studied options, as shown in Tables 9 to 12.

Table 9: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on the number of plants before harvesting, pcs/m² (average for years 2010-2012)

On the average for the three years, the maximum total number of plants was observed against the backgrounds of N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ kg/ha of a.m., and after introducing potassium humate for cultivation + seed treatment + treatment during the tillering phase and in the two subsequent variants. By individual differences, this indicator had an advantage against the backgrounds of mineral nutrition with N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ kg/ha of a.m. in the same variants of using potassium humate. Interaction of factors was detected.

Table 10: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on productive tillering (average for years 2010 to 2012)

The maximum productive tillering of polystichous barley, 1.81, observed against the background without introduction of mineral fertilizers, and in the variant without the use of potassium humate – 1.76. By individual distinctions, the highest indicator (1.88) was observed when these options overlapped. Interaction of factors was detected.

Such dynamics was noted in the research of T. A. Eryomin (2009), stating that with an increase in mineral nutrition the total tillering capacity of barley increases as well, and productive tillering is changed only to a certain background level. With dosages of fertilizers increasing from N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀ + N₃₀ to N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀ + N₄₅, ear grain content of polystichous barley increases from 9.9 pcs. to 17.5 pcs. (Shchennikova I. N., 2011). M. N. Semov (2009) also states that on leached black soils, the introduction of fertilizer for barley in the dosage of N₃₀P₃₀K₃₀ kg/ha of a.m., increased the number of grains in spikes by 1.3 pcs. As compared to the natural background.

In our studies, the highest number of grains per ear was against the background of N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ kg/ha of a.m., and after introducing potassium humate for cultivation + seed treatment + treatment during the tillering phase and in the two subsequent variants.

Table 11: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on the number of grains in an ear, pcs. (average for years 2010-2012)

In considering individual differences, this indicator dominated after the introduction of N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. in case of three to five times introduction of potassium humate, and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ – in case of two-to-five times introduction. Interaction of factors was detected.

The share of mineral fertilizers’ influence on the yield of barley is quite significant, and ranges from 25 to 80%. Their correct use improves the yield, forage grain quality, plant resistance to drought, diseases, pests (Deriglazova G. M., 2012).

Sh. I. Akhmetov (2008) notes that increasing doses of plants mineral nutrition contributed to increased yield of the main barley product. So, after the introduction of N₃₀P₃₀K₃₀ the yield increased by 0.18 t/ha, after the introduction of N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀, N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ and N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀, it increased by 0.42, 0.68 and 0.79 t/ha, respectively. The highest value was observed in the variant with the use of fertilizers in the dosage of N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ – 3.64 t/ha.

Research of F. I. Privalov (2012) also states that increasing doses of nitrogen against a constant phosphorus-and-potassium background (N₆₀P₆₀K₉₀ and N₉₀P₆₀K₉₀) contributes to obtaining an increase in barley grain yield.

High yield of barley was noted after the introduction of N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀ in case of foliar treatment of plants in the milky stage with preparations Lignohumate – 2.8 t/ha and Humy – 2.6 t/ha (Kadyrov S. V., 2008).

Yield of polystichous barley grain in our experiments is shown in Table 12.

Table 12: Influence of mineral fertilizers and potassium humate on the yield of barley grain, t/ha (average for years 2010 to 2012)

On the average, in years 2010 to 2012, the maximum yield of grain was observed after the introduction of fertilizers N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. Increasing doses of mineral nutrition to N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ kg/ha of a.m. did not result in increasing grain yield. Consequently, decreased effectiveness was detected in case of using increased doses of fertilizers for barley. This is consistent with the data of A. V. Ivoylov (2002). After using potassium humate, the highest yield was in the sixth and the seventh variants. By individual distinctions, the advantage (3.32-a 3.35 t/ha) was noted when these variants overlapped. Interaction of factors was detected.

In our research, the chemical composition of barley grain also changed, depending on mineral nutrition, duration and methods of introduction of potassium humate.

Against all backgrounds of mineral nutrition, positive effect of increased doses of fertilizers on the content of crude protein was found. On the average in 2011-2012, the maximum value of this indicator (12.3 %) was noted against the background of N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ kg/ha of a.m. in case of fivetimes introduction of potassium humate, which exceeded the reference by 2.4 %.

M. Codanev (1971) noted that additional introduction of N₃₀ during the earing phase against the background of N₆₀P₆₀K₆₀ increases protein content in barley grain by 1%. N. V. Smolin (1988) found that protein concentration in barley grain increased by 0.2-0.5% with each step (N₃₀P₃₀K₂₀) of increased dosages of fertilizers. In research performed by S. N. Zyuba (2012), increasing doses of mineral fertilizers to N₃₀P₃₀K₃₀ and N₅₀P₅₀K₅₀ contributed to increasing protein concentration in grains, as compared to the reference variant (N₁₀P₁₀K₁₀) by 0.8 and 1.79%, respectively.

The highest content of crude fiber on the average for the three years (5.96 %) was observed in the variant with the introduction of potassium humate by seed treatment + introduction for cultivation + processing during the tillering phase + the earing phase + the milky stage, and against the background of fertilizers N₁₂₀P₁₂₀K₁₂₀ kg/ha of a.m. The maximum average crude fat accumulation in barley grain in years 2011 to 2012 (2.70 %) was observed against the background of the same mineral nutrition with the maximum number of treatments with potassium humate, which exceeds the reference by 0.68 %.

On the average, over the three years of the research, the predominant concentration of crude ash (3.43 %) in polystichous barley grains was observed in the variant with the use of potassium humate against the background of fertilizers N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m.

The results of studying the correlation of polystichous barley grain chemical composition with various factors show that strong correlation is observed between grain yield (r = 0.91), density of productive stems (r = 0.81) and crude protein content.

The research of R. M. Badreev (2008) showed that with increasing density of stems, protein concentration in barley grain increased as well.

Conclusion

In cultivation of polystichous barley on leached black soils with the purpose of optimizing mineral nutrition and increasing grain yield, it can be recommended to agricultural producers to introduce mineral fertilizers N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀ kg/ha of a.m. and introduce potassium humate: for cultivation (1.0 l/ha) + seed treatment (0.2kg/t) + spraying plants during the tillering and the earing stages (0.5 l/ha).

References

1. Badreev, R.M. 2008. Influence of seeding rate, methods of introduction and the level of nitrogen nutrition on yield and grain quality of polystichous and distichous barley on Southern black soils of the Orenburg Urals, author’s abstract from thesis of Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Orenburg State Agrarian University, Orenburg, pp: 19.
2. Akhmetov, Sh.I., N.A. Zamotaeva, A.A. Kolyshkin and O.I. Kuzmina,2008. Influence of various mineral fertilizers on the yield and quality parameters of malting barley. In the Proceedings of the International Scientific-Practical Conference to the Memory of Prof. S. A. Lapshin: Resource-saving Ecologically Safe Technology of Agricultural Production, Feb. 27, 2008, Saransk. Saransk: Publishing house of Mordovia University, pp: 424.
3. Voronina, L.P., O.S. Yakimenko and V.A. Terekhova 2012. Assessing biological activity of industrial humic preparations. Agrochemistry, 6: 45–52.
4. Garmash, N.Y.and G.A. Garmash, 2012. Methodological approaches to assessing quality of humic preparations. Agro-Chemical Bulletin, 4: 17-19.
5. Grekhova, I.V., 2005. The Tyumen humic preparation. I. D. Commissioners. Agriculture, 4: 30-33.
6. Deriglazova, G.M.,2012. Influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on the yield and grain quality of spring barley. Agriculture, 6: 43-45.
7. Deriglazova, G.M. and I.G. Pykhtin, 2012. Influence of different levels technology on the yield of spring barley. Agriculture, 7: 31-33.
8. Dospekhov, B.A., 1985. Methodology of field experiments. Moscow: Agropromizdat, pp: 381.
9. Eryomina, T.A. and E.V. Kortunova, 2009. Growth, development and productivity of barley depending on the dosages of mineral fertilizers.In the Proceedings of the V International Scientific-Practical Conference to the Memory of Prof. S. A. Lapshin: Resource-saving Ecologically Safe Technology of Agricultural Production, Feb. 25, 2009, Saransk. Saransk: Publishing house of Mordovia University, pp: 476.
10. Erokhin, A.I. and Z.R. Tsukanova, 2011. Sowing qualities of seed and productivity of pea under the influence of liquid peat potassium humate. Agriculture, 6: 47-48.
11. Zyuba, S.N., 2012. Growing conditions and forage productivity of spring barley. Agriculture,4: 47-48.
12. Ivoylov, A.V., V.I. Kopylov and M.N. Bessonova, 2002. Influence of fertilizers on the yield and quality of barley grain in the areas of unstable moistening. Agrochemistry, 4: 23-32.
13. Kadyrov, S.V., V.A. Zadorozhnaya and A.A. Kornov, 2008. Influence of technological elements on yield and quality of barley. Agricultural science, 5: 22-23.
14. Codanev, I.M. and E.Y. Konovalova,1971. The influence of mineral fertilizers on yield and malting qualities of barley. Selection of Barley and Oats: Coll. of Art. Moscow: Kolos, pp: 278.
15. Marov, A.V., 2009. Forming yield and quality of malting barley grains under the influence of fertilizers and growth regulators in the steppes of the Volga region, author’s abstract from thesis of Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Penza State agricultural Academy, Penza, pp: 22.
16. Privalov, F.I., 2012. Retardants in crops of spring barley. Protection and Quarantine of Plants, 12: 24-26.
17. Saulin, A.A. andA.P. Eryashev, 2012. Polystichous barley in Mordovia. Saransk: Mordovia State University, pp: 104.
18. Semov, M.N., 2009. Assessing samples of barley in various levels of mineral nutrition in the conditions of the forest steppe of the Middle Volga region,author’s abstract from thesis of Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Penza State agricultural Academy, Penza, pp: 22.
19. Smolin, N.V., 1988. Influence of the elements of intensive technology on barley yield and grain quality in the Southern black soil zone, author’s abstract from thesis of Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Ogarev Mordovia State University, Moscow, pp: 25.
20. Shchennikova, I.N., N.N. Nazarova and E.M. Lisitsyn, 2011.Methods of cultivating polystichous barley in the Volga-Vyatka region. Agriculture, 6: 20-22.