Biostimulants in the Indicators of Yield and Industrial and Chemical Quality of Oat Grains

Abstract

The supply of glutamic acid-based biostimulants may represent an innovative technology to increase oat grain yield and quality. The objective of this study is to measure the effect of different biostimulants based on concentrations of glutamic acid and nutrients and their application on indicators of productivity and industrial and chemical quality of oat grains. The study was conducted in 2016 and 2017 in a randomized block design with four replications, considering 10 combinations of treatments for different application conditions and types of glutamic acid-based biostimulants, which were: 1. Control; 2. Zinplex (seed) + Biomol (grain filling); 3. Zinplex (seed) + Glutamin Extra (grain filling); 4. Zinplex (seed) + Biomol (thinning); 5. Glutamin Extra (1^st fungicide application) + Glutamin Extra (2^nd fungicide application); 6. Biomol (1^st fungicide application) + Biomol (2^nd fungicide application); 7. Zinplex (seed) + Vorax (grain filling); 8. Vorax (1^st fungicide application) + Vorax (2^nd fungicide application); 9. Biomol (thinning) + Vorax (grain filling) and 10. Biomol (thinning) + Glutamin Extra (grain filling). The foliar application of biostimulants with the presence of glutamic acid and nutrients may have positive effects on variables related to productivity and industrial and chemical quality of oat grains, however, depending on the agricultural year conditions. The application of Glutamin Extra in the 1st and 2nd fungicide application shows the best results in the vast majority of grain yield and quality variables, but the costs involving only biostimulants do not guarantee economic viability.