The Influence of Sowing Rate and Foliar Fertilization on the Yield of Some Triticale Varieties in the Context of Climate Change in Northwest Romania

Triticale is recognized worldwide because of its high protein and lysine contents, high production capacity, and adaptability to biotic and abiotic stress conditions, these qualities being taken over from wheat and rye. Triticale is widely used in various fields, such as animal feed in various forms, medicine, baking, beer and alcohol brewing, cellulose, bioethanol industry, and many others. Thus, the demand for triticale grain is increasing, and this has led to the research and improvement in culture technology to obtain superior products, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The purpose of this study was to identify the best varieties of triticale cultivated in the northwest of Romania, sown in different plots, and fertilized on the ground. Additionally, this study was carried out over a period of two years at the Livada Agricultural Research and Development Station, Satu Mare County. This study was located on acidic soil with a pH between 5.19 and 6.65 and a humus content of 2.82%. The climatic conditions in the reference period were extremely variable; in the first year, a deficit of more than 90 mm of precipitation was registered, and in the second year of this study, an increase of more than 34 mm. The effects of additional fertilization were influenced by the level of precipitation. In 2023, additional fertilization with foliar fertilizer brought production increases of 884 kg/ha, compared with 2022, where foliar fertilization in drought conditions led to a decrease in production. The Utrifun variety proved to be the most productive; this foliar fertilized and with biostimulator, sown at 550 seeds/m 2 , recorded an increase in production of over 4500 kg/ha compared with the Negoiu control and sown at 650 seeds/m 2 and fertilized with foliar fertilizer had an increase of over 4370 kg/ha compared with the Negoiu control. It recorded a production of 9700 kg/ha sown at 550 seeds/m 2 and fertilized only on the soil, and sown at 450 seeds/m 2 and additionally fertilized with foliar fertilizer recorded a production of 10.900 kg/ha. Utrifun was followed by Zvelt which, sown at 450 seed/m 2 and fertilized on the soil, recorded 9500 kg/ha, ensuring an increase of 1800 kg/ha compared with the Negoiu control. The lowest production was achieved by the Tulnic variety, which is 2022, sown at 650 seed/m 2 and fertilized on the ground, recorded 5874 kg/ha, 1621 kg/ha less than the control variant. The increases in production obtained by these varieties will be confirmed in a subsequent study under different climatic conditions.