ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF DURUM WHEAT FERTILIZATION IN BULGARIA

GALIA PANAYOTOVA, SVETLA KOSTADINOVA

Abstract: The economic efficiency of durum wheat grain yield under the influence of fertilization in two field trials on Leached vertisol soil type was determined. In the first experiment the reaction of Bulgarian varieties Progress, Vazhod, Victoria, Predel, Deana, Zvezditsa and Elbrus to fertilization at rates of 0, 60, 120, 180 kg N.ha-1 was studied. The second long-term fertilizing trial examined the responsiveness of variety Progress towards independent P and combined NP fertilization at rates: N0P0, P80, P120, P160, N120P80, N120P120 and N120P160. The results showed that the optimal fertilizer rate for high yield was N120. According to the economic analysis fertilization with 120 kg N.ha-1 had good profitability - 127.89%. Appling 180 kgN.ha-1 decreased the profitability of production and this rate was not effective. Elbrus variety showed the best economic values for different N levels, followed by variety Deana. Under the conditions of long-term trial, variety Progress demonstrated low efficiency from the combined NP fertilization. The profitability of production at only P fertilization was very low, significantly below the base level of control (-10.65% at P160 to 8.57% at P80). Independent phosphorus fertilization was ineffective and economically unjustified.

Keywords: durum wheat; economic efficiency; fertilization; profitability

Date published: 2018-04-03