Phytosanitary condition and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum) after application of different types of organic compost in organic and biodynamic farming systems

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in the period 2013-2016 on the experimental fields of the Institute of Agriculture in Karnobat, Bulgaria. Wheat and einkorn wheat were grown in biodynamic and organic farming systems after application of different types of organic compost. Studies were conducted on the effect of compost types on phytosanitary condition and yield of the crops. The experiments established that the phytosanitary condition of wheat was better when it was biodynamically cultivated with applied standard biodynamic compost in the soil. No diseases and pests were reported for einkorn wheat in the three variants, whereas weeds had lower density and species composition in einkorn than in wheat and the variant with standard biodynamic compost was the most weakly infested. The highest yields of wheat and einkorn wheat were obtained at biodynamic cultivation with applied standard biodynamic compost, followed by the variant of biodynamic compost according to Maria Thun’s compost preparations.