INFLUENCE OF SEEDING RATE AND NITROGEN TOPDRESSING UPON THE AGRONOMIC TRAITS OF SPELT (TRITICUM SPELTA L.)

Spelt (Triticum spelta L.) cultivation has been resumed in the Republic of Croatia for the production of flour and for animal feed. Investigations were carried out at the experimental facility of the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb during 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 with the aim to determine the influence of seeding rate and nitrogen topdressing upon the agronomic traits of spelt. The trial included two spelt cultivars: Nirvana and Ostro, three seeding rates (200, 300 and 400 germinated seeds m(-2)), and nitrogen topdressing (0 and 50 kg ha(-1) N). In both trial years, cultivar Nirvana produced a significantly higher yield of unhusked grain (5923 kg ha(-1)) compared to cultivar Ostro (5389 kg ha(-1)). Cultivar Ostro gave a significantly higher 1000-grain mass (50.4 g) and higher grain protein content (140.6 g kg(-1)). Seeding rate had no effect on the studied parameters, except on the number of spikes m(-2). Nitrogen topdressing had a good effect on the yield of unhusked grain, number of spikes per m(2) and 1000-grain mass. Nitrogen topdressing did not affect the proportion of husked grain in total mass, nor the grain protein content.