The cultivation method wide row spacing for winter wheat in organic farming: its possibilities to improve the baking quality in nitrogen-limiting conditions

The production of high baking-quality winter wheat in organic farming is a particular challenge. The usual cultivating procedure, involving row distances of c. 12 cm, does not normally lead to the desired results. This report concerns the conclusions of field trials from four German farm locations. Under consideration of different site conditions an improved and applicable technique should be developed, with whose help a better baking-quality could almost certainly be achieved. This should be attained without significant yield losses. The findings indicate the possibility of cultivating winter wheat with row distances of 50 cm. Although, especially in high-yield years, a possible yield deficit of up to 10% must be taken into account. The measured indirect indicators of baking quality crude-protein content, wet-gluten content and Zeleny-sedimentation value were significantly improved by the widening of distances between rows. The sowing of legume undersown crops, in early spring, into the spaces between rows leads to a reduction of water-erosion disposition and an enhancement of preceding crop value. The mulching of growth in the spaces between rows with the help of a specially developed row mulching machine sufficiently prevents competition between main crop and cover crop.