EFFECT OF ARTIFICIALLY ERODED DARK BROWN CHERNOZEMIC SOIL AND SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS ON THE MILLING AND BAKING QUALITY OF WHEAT UNDER DRYLAND CONDITIONS

A field was artificially eroded by levelling in 1957. It was continuou sly cropped to barley for 7 yr. Subsequently, the field was cropped to a wheat-fallow rotation up to but not including 1986. Two major resto ring productivity experiments were conducted over that time period. Af ter 30 yr and 19 crops, a third experiment was established to determin e the effect of artificial soil erosion and four restorative amendment s on 13 wheat quality characteristics. Year, erosion level, and amendm ent all had significant effects on many wheat quality parameters. Eros ion decreased overall quality, mainly by decreasing protein content wh ich in turn affected other quality characteristics. Applications of ma nure, fertilizer, and straw + fertilizer increased protein content and related characteristics substantially compared to the check. Since hi gh-quality bread wheat is central to its worldwide demand, prevention of soil erosion is essential. Conversely, eroded soil can be ameliorat ed with amendments but at a cost of the amendment and its application.