Yield Performance of Wheat under Split N Application Rates and Timing
Yield Performance of Wheat under Split N Application Rates and Timing
Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Akmal*
ABSTRACT
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is major food crop of Pakistan. The soil status of Pakistan is relatively poor in N and organic matter contents. Because of changing rainfall patterns due to changes in the weather conditions and/or climatic change responses observed in the world, the split application of N is beneficial to the crops in terms to avoid N-mobility in the soil and improve its use efficiency for crops. This study, therefore, aimed to identify split applicarion of N rates and timings for wheat performance in recent weather condiction. Experiment was conducted at Agronomy Research Farm, The University of Agriculture Peshawar in 2015-16 in a randomized complete block (RCBD) design with four replications. Seedbed was prepared as recommended for wheat, planting was made with basic seeds (cv. Pakhtunkhwa) using seed drill in rows spaced 0.25 m equal distances. Recommended rates of phosphorus and potassium were applied yielding 90 and 60 kg ha-1respectively while the N-application rates (i.e. NAR 0, 100, 120, 140 and 160 kg ha-1) were added with different N application timings (i.e. NAT1100% at seedbed, NAT2 50% at sowing and 50% 70 days after sowing (DAS), NAT3 25% at sowing, 50% + 70 DAS and 25% at anthesis 110 DAS and NAT4 25% at sowing, 25% 70 DAS and 50% 110 DAS). Results revealed relatively better plant health and traits at 140 kg ha-1 when NAR was applied as treatment NAT2 and NAT3 as compared to any other application timings. Treatment 140 kg N ha-1 showed the highest grain and biomass yield of wheat in a cereal based cropping system i.e. maize-wheat in rotation. The results concluded that wheat crop fertilized with 140 kg ha-1 preferably in three splits for sustainable farming system for Peshawar climate and surroundings.
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