Effect of mineral fertilizer types on the dynamics of soil agrochemical properties, yield, and sunflower seed quality

A.Yu. Ozheredova, A.N. Esaulko, E.A. Ustimenko, N.V. Gromova, J.Z. Abdullayev

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Abstract. The need to increase sunflower productivity in zones of unstable moisture makes the application of mineral fertilizers during sowing a crucial agrotechnical practice. However, selecting the type of starter fertilizer must be justified, given that different nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratios exert distinct effects on soil agrochemical dynamics, yield, and seed oil content.
Aim. The objective of this research is to evaluate the influence of mineral fertilizer types (sulphoammophos and ammophos) applied at sowing at a rate of 100 kg/ha on the dynamics of agrochemical parameters in leached chernozem (specifically nitrate and ammonium nitrogen, and available phosphorus and potassium), and subsequent yield and seed oiliness of sunflower hybrids ES Bella and Bazik in the unstable moisture zone of the Central Ciscaucasia region.
Materials and methods. A two-factor field experiment was conducted: factor A represented the type of near-sowing fertilizer application (control [no fertilizer], sulphoammophos, and ammophos at 100 kg/ha during sowing); factor B was the sunflower hybrid (ES Bella, Bazik). The experiment was set up during 2024–2025 at the Research and Educational Station of Stavropol State Agrarian University. All analyses and measurements were carried out according to standard techniques.
Research results. Sulphoammophos provided better nitrogen nutrition, increasing NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ contents by 0.7 mg/kg and 1.5 mg/kg, respectively, compared to ammophos. In contrast, ammophos improved phosphorus nutrition, elevating its content by 2.6 mg/kg compared to sulphoammophos. The maximum yield (2.40 t/ha), oil content (48.9%), and oil yield (1.17 t/ha) were obtained in the variant with ammophos application for the ‘ES Bella’ hybrid. At the same time, the differences in yield between the two fertilizer types (0.14 t/ha) were statistically non-significant, indicating their equal effectiveness as starter fertilizers.
Conclusion. In the zone of unstable moisture, either type of mineral fertilizer can be recommended for application when cultivating the most high-yielding hybrid, ‘ES Bella’.

Keywords: type of mineral fertilizer; pre-sowing application; sunflower; sulfoammophos; ammophos; dynamics of agrochemical parameters; nitrate, ammonium nitrogen; mobile phosphorus, potassium; leached chernozem; yield; seed oil content; oil yield; zone of unstable moisture

For citation. Ozheredova A.Yu., Esaulko A.N., Ustimenko E.A., Gromova N.V., Abdullayev J.Z. Effect of mineral fertilizer types on the dynamics of soil agrochemical properties, yield, and sunflower seed quality. News of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of RAS. 2026. Vol. 28. No. 4. Pp. 106–116. DOI: 10.35330/1991-6639-2026-28-4-106-116

©  Ozheredova A.Yu., Esaulko A.N., Ustimenko E.A., Gromova N.V., Abdullayev J.Z., 2026

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Information about the authors

Alena Yu. Ozheredova, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Agrochemistry and Plant Physiology, Stavropol State Agrarian University;
12, Zootechnicheskiy lane, Stavropol, 355017, Russia;
alena.gurueva@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6038-6409, SPIN-code: 3968-8440
Aleksandr N. Esaulko, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor, Department of Agrochemistry and Plant Physiology, Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Director of the Institute of Agrobiology and Natural Resources, Stavropol State Agrarian University;
12, Zootechnicheskiy lane, Stavropol, 355017, Russia;
aesaulko@yandex.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0441-9055, SPIN-code: 5497-6339
Elena A. Ustimenko, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Agrochemistry and Plant Physiology, Stavropol State Agrarian University;
12, Zootechnicheskiy lane, Stavropol, 355017, Russia;
yelena.ustimenko.88@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7067-6570, SPIN-code: 3914-8763
Natalya V. Gromova, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Agrochemistry and Plant Physiology, Stavropol State Agrarian University;
12, Zootechnicheskiy lane, Stavropol, 355017, Russia;
nikolenko0812@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1787-2169, SPIN-code: 6115-5740
Jamal Z. Abdullayev, Master Student, Institute of Agrobiology and Natural Resources, Stavropol State Agrarian University;
12, Zootechnicheskiy lane, Stavropol, 355017, Russia;
jamal.abdullaev@icloud.com

Funding

The study was performed without external funding.