The qualitative and quantitative impact of copper and zinc applications on winter wheat cultivation

The impacts of copper and zinc compounds were tested on winter wheat crop grown in calcareous chernozem soil in Hungary, Regoly, Tolna County, during the planting seasons of 2011 and 2013. This work aims to discover  the effects of different doses of copper and zinc on wheat yield (t.ha-1), in terms of gluten content (%), “Zeleny” number or sedimentation index and raw protein content (m%). Further, quality food crop of optimal chemical composition under sustainable farming conditions was also adopted. The primary criteria used for selecting the test area include: Soils with high phosphorus and lime content and those deficient of copper and zinc deficiency on the basis of soil analysis. Foliar treatments were applied on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The experiments were performed with a completely new sucrose copper compound that is not yet used in agriculture. The test compounds used in the ecological farming were applied twice in strip-plot design with area of 0.5 ha for each plot. The tests helped us to introduce the efficiency of the treatments throughout the three years. Zn increased the volume of the yield considerably. Maximum yields were achieved at 1.59 kg.ha-1 dose. Cu made each quality parameter improved more significantly. Maximum gluten contents were achieved at 1.38 kg.ha-1 Cu2+ doses. Cu of 1.50 kg.ha-1 produced the highest raw protein content and Cu of 1.52 kg.ha-1 showed the highest Zeleny values in sedimentation tests. This proves the highest efficiency of Zn and Cu applied at 1.4 to 1.6 kg.ha-1 doses.   Key words: Essential microelements, winter wheat, quality, yield, precision technology.