GROWTH, PRODUCTIVITY AND GRAIN QUALITY OF WINTER SPELT UNDER UKRAINIAN SOUTH STEPPE ZONE
Plants of winter hulled wheat spelt (Triticum spelta L.) were grown in field experiment on soil and climatic conditions of southern steppe zone. The features of spelt plants growth, leaf surface formation, seed productivity and grain quality were studied. The comparative characteristics of determined indicators for spelt wheat and winter wheat species (Triticum aestivum L.) of Ukrainian steppe zone were provided. It was found that under traditional for the winter wheat farming in the studied region, and under given climatic conditions of 2011-2012 years, investigated spelt samples passed all phenological phases of development and had 31-57 % less seed productivity of ears and plants compared to winter wheat cultivars. Spelt plants were characterized by higher length and weight of vegetative parts of the plant, plant leaves size and fresh weight from one plant, chlorophyll content in leaves. Spelt grain had higher protein content with different biochemical composition compared to winter wheat one.