Within-Field Variability of Winter Wheat Yield and Grain Quality versus Soil Properties

Abstract

Within-field variability in wheat grain yield and its quality always exists in production fields and depends, among other factors, mainly on various soil properties related to nutrients and water availability. The aim of the research was to examine the relationships between selected soil properties such as texture; pH; content of the available phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and organic carbon; and winter wheat grain yield and quality under rainfed conditions. Six crop fields with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum, L.) in three sites located in different regions of Poland were examined during two seasons. The grain yield was mainly determined by the soil texture, and the majority of the chemical soil properties did not have a significant effect on grain yield. The grain quality traits were determined by the examined soil properties to a smaller degree than grain yield. The relationships were not consistent across sites and years.