Application of new biofertilizers and biological products in the cultivation of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Worldwide, the mineral fertilizers, because of their multiple negative effects, become less popular. Therefore, more producers prefer to use biofertilizer and biological preparations for obtaining high crop yield with good quality. Fertilizers fill the soil with additional material, while biologicals contribute to effective mobilization of soil organic matter and biota. At All-Russian Research Institute of Reclaimed Lands (VNIIMZ) the КMN biofertilizer (multi-purpose compost) has been developed. Advantage of the КMN as a base fertilizer lies in its high nutritional value, physiological, ecological and biogenic properties. Also, a novel biological product, the LPB, have been developed. It is characterized by the presence of physiologically relevant amounts of growth factors and energy sources in a combination favorable to the plant. The LPB composition allows to maintain soil fertility and crop productivity. In the present study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the KMN and LPB on the potato ( Solanum tubetosu m L.) variety Zhukovsky and spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) variety Irgina. The micro plot tests were conducted in 2011-2013 on the experimental field of VNIIMZ (Tver’ Province). With spring wheat, the KMN biofertilizer was used at a dose of 7 t/ha, and NPK dose was 300 kg/ha. Biological product (LPB stock preparation) was diluted with tap water as 1:300, 1:500 and 1:1000 and applied at 0.1 l/m 2 by spraying plants. In control no fertilizers were used. In total, there were 12 combinations of plant treatment. In wheat, a total yield, weight of 1000 grains, and the grain protein content were estimated. With potato, only KMN (4 t/ha) was used as fertilizer. Potato plants were treated with LPB three times (at sprouting, budding and flowering) by means of a hand sprayer. In this, four LPB doses (0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 l/m 2) and two dilutions (1:30 and 1:300) of the stock preparation were used. Control potato plants were not treated with LPB. The potato yield and the tuber distribution by size were estimated. The intensity of redox processes in the soil was evaluated by the oxidative-reduction ratio (ORR) as the catalase to dehydrogenase activity rate. Spraying spring wheat with 1:300 LPB solution at 0.1 l/m 2, additionally to КMN application, resulted in the highest yield among all the studied variants (27.5 kg/ha), and it was 15 % higher compared to LPB application together with NPK. The rich harvest was obtained due to larger grains. Mobilizing effect in the soil under spring wheat was higher if no basic fertilizers were used, and also when NPK was used without biopreparation. At the same time, the crop yield with NPK and without fertilizers was generally inferior to that obtained with NPK together with biologicals, when the yield increased due to activity of LPB microflora, and with KMN due to activation of microflora of biofertilizer and bioprparation, particularly at high concentration of the biopreparation (1:300). The highest yield of potatoes (372.1 kg/ha, including 352.1 kg/ha of commercial tubers) was obtained by using LPB (1:300) at 0.1 l/m 2 with KMN as the basic fertilizer. Crop spraying with LPB was enough to supply plants with nutrients at the key growth phases. The КMN role was to supply plants at the early development with available nutrients. Note, the soil after harvesting remained free from chemical pollution and enriched with helpful microflora, contributing to the reproduction and preservation of soil fertility. Therefore, the developed biologicals can be successfully used in crop cultivation.