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EFFECT OF NITROGEN MANAGEMENT ON WHEAT PERFORMANCE AND SOIL PROPERTIES

. Shehryar Khan and Shazma Anwar


Abstract

Use of organic and inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizers in proper combination not only increases wheat yield attributes but also enhances physio-chemical properties of the soil. Field experiments were carried out to study the effect of different N sources, forms and ratios for improving wheat productivity and soil properties at Agronomy Research Farm, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar in winter 2017-2018 and 2018-2019. The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Plot size of 3m x 4m having 10 rows with row to row distance of 30 cm was maintained. Wheat variety Pirsabak-2015 was sown on 22nd November during both years at the seed rate of 120 kg ha-1. Organic sources of nitrogen (rice residue, mungbean residue and cattle manure) in two forms (compost and non-compost) with different N ratios (100% organic: 0% inorganic, 75% organic: 25% inorganic, 50% organic: 50% inorganic, 25% organic: 75% inorganic, 0% organic: 100% inorganic) were tested in the experiments. Urea was used as inorganic fertilizer source. A total of 120 kg N ha-1 was maintained from different nitrogen sources. The results of the experiment revealed significant effect of different sources, forms and ratios of nitrogen on wheat and soil properties. Among different organic sources of nitrogen, application of cattle manure enhanced leaf area tiller-1 (140.1 cm2), leaf area index (3.8), plant height (97.3 cm), biological yield (8540 kg ha-1), grain yield (3546 kg ha-1), grain nitrogen content (2.26%) and soil electrical conductivity (0.229 dS m-1) with reduced soil bulk density (1.17 g cm-3). Use of organic nitrogen sources in compost form improved plant height (96.1 cm), leaf area tiller-1 (138.4 cm2), leaf area index (3.7), biological yield (8400 kg ha-1), grain yield (3514 kg ha-1), grain nitrogen content (2.21%), total nitrogen uptake (144.6 kg ha-1), soil pH (7.83) and electrical conductivity (0.227 dS m-1) with reduced soil bulk density (1.17 g cm-3). Considering N ratios, 50% organic and 50% inorganic nitrogen application produced taller plants (97.2 cm) with higher leaf area (140 cm2), leaf area index (3.79), biological yield (8652 kg ha-1), grain yield (3762 kg ha-1), grain nitrogen content (2.28%), total nitrogen uptake (146.8 kg ha-1) and soil electrical conductivity (0.231 dS m-1). Plots that received sole organic nitrogen limited soil bulk density (1.16 g cm-3). It is concluded that wheat crop performed better in soil applied with cattle manure as organic nitrogen source in compost form coupled with inorganic nitrogen in 50:50 ratios and hence recommended for further studies to authenticate higher wheat yield with better soil properties in the agro climatic conditions of Peshawar-Pakistan.

Index Terms- Organic Nitrogen, Soil EC, Soil pH, Straw Nitrogen, Grain nitrogen, Total Nitrogen uptake

 

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