Root and shoot development, nutrient content in shoot, and soil moisture depletion of the modem cultivar of winter wheat cv. Vala and 85-year old cv. Chlumecka 12 grown without nitrogen fertilizer or fertilized with 150 kg and 200 kg N.ha-1 were investigated in three years field trial. Total root dry matter production (RDM) in plough layer of above wheats was significantly different only in drier year 1984, however, significant differences between both cultivars in RDM were observed in individual soil layers and stages. Cv. Vala produced mostly more RDM in comparison with cv. Chlumecka 12 on the average of four sampling dates, the start of stem elongation, heading, the end of anthesis and maturity, by 10.1; 3.3 and 23.7 % in 1983, 1984 and 1985, resp. There were no consistent differences between cultivars in RDM distribution in the plough layer. Also the effect of nitrogen fertilization on RDM distribution and RDM production was not consistent in years and during growth. cv. Vala had mostly lower RDM in fertilized treatments than in those without nitrogen at heading and anthesis. Shoot growth and LAI of both cultivars were largely stimulated by nitrogen fertilization in all years and dates, except for shoot biomass of cv. Chlumecka 12 in 1983. The concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in shoots from shooting to anthesis was mostly higher in cv. Chlumecka 12 than that in cv. Vala, on the opposite, the content of calcium and magnesium was higher in cv. Vala. The nitrogen fertilization increased the concentration of nitrogen and potassium in above-ground parts similarly in both cultivars, only cv. Chlumecka 12 in 1983 had lower concentration of nitrogen and potassium in nitrogen fertilized treatments. The course of soil moisture depletion was very similar for both wheats until the end of anthesis. Cv. Chlumecka 12 depleted more of the soil moisture than cv. Vala after anthesis in 1983 and 1985 due to longer period of ripening, i.e. longer duration of green plant organs. The modem cv. Vala was more effective in the terms of the use of soil water and absorbed nutrients for grain production than old cv. Chlumecka 12, first of all due to higher grain yield and higher harvest index, 0.44 to 0.53 in comparison with 0.30 to 0.37 in cv. Chlumecka 12.
