The Influence of the Farming System and Forecrop on the Yield and Chemical and Health-Promoting Composition of Spring Wheat Grain

Summary

Spring wheat was grown on a loess-derived Luvisol under the conditions of two farming systems (conventional and organic) and five forecrops (sugar beet, spring barley, red clover, winter wheat, and oat) over the period 2021–2023. In the conventional system, mineral NPK fertilization and pesticides (herbicides, fungicide, insecticide, and retardant) were applied at the recommended rates for wheat. Mechanical weed control was also used (double harrowing). In the organic system, the organic fertilizer Humac Agro was applied and the fields under the wheat were harrowed twice. No plant protection products were used under organic farming conditions. The organic system was proven to have an effect on reducing spring wheat yield, on average by 23%, compared to the conventional system (the grain yi