Efficiency of Differentiated Sowing of Spring Wheat in the Steppe Zone of the Novosibirsk Region

The paper presents the results of the field experiment on the application of differentiated sowing of spring wheat using the Amazone electronic seeding system based on a task-map soil fertility of the field's zones. The planting of the experiment was carried out with a DMC-12000 seeder on a farm in the steppe zone of the Novosibirsk Region. An assessment of the wheat yield structure and grain quality was given for three variants of seeding rates and soil fertility zones. The high significance of their influence on the following estimated indicators was revealed: grain moisture during harvesting, gluten, protein, gluten deformation index and wheat yield, which varied within 25.8–41.3 c/ha. An economic assessment of the compared sowing variants is given. Thus, in comparison with the minimum seeding rate in the zone of low soil fertility, the increase in income with an average and high seeding rate in the zone of medium and high soil fertility was high and amounted to 12,523 rubles/ha and 15,878 rubles/ha, respectively. At the same time, it was found that differentiated sowing should be carried out in accordance with the level of soil fertility and crop cultivation conditions. For each level of soil fertility and vegetation conditions, there is an optimal combination of plant nutrition system and seeding rate, which ensures the best use of the agro-climatic potential and high economic efficiency of grain production.