19. Wheat response to different levels of humic acid and brassinolide
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted to investigate wheat response to different levels of humic acid and brassinolide at New Developmental Farm of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agricultural University Peshawar during Rabi season 2009 -10. The wheat variety Saleem 2000 was sown. The design used was Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications in split plot arrangement. Humic acid was assigned to main plot whereas brassinolide was allotted to sub plot. Plot size of 3 x 3.5 m having 10 rows, 30 cm apart were used. Four levels of humic acid (0, 1, 2 and 4 kg ha-1) were applied at sowing times. Whereas 5 levels of brassinolide (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mg L-1) were sprayed in foliar form at the tillering stage. Increasing humic acid levels up to 2 kg ha-1 increased crop productivity in term of yield and yield components. Higher spikes m-2 (206.38), grains spike-1 (63.19), thousand grains weight (39.57g), biological yield (11918 kg ha-1), grain yield (4163kg ha-1) and harvest index (34.87%) were obtained from 2 kg HA ha-1 treated plots. Increasing brassinolide concentrations up to 2 mg L-1 increased crop productivity in term of yield and yield components. Higher spikes m-2 (205.94), grains spike-1 (66), thousand grains weight (39.89g), biological yield (11584 kg ha-1), grain yield (4397kg ha-1) and harvest index (37.87%) were obtained from 2 mg B L-1 treated plots. Increasing brassinolide concentration up to 2 mg L-1 as combined with 2 kg HA ha-1 increased spikes m-2, grains spike-1, thousand grains weight and grain yield. Application of 2 kg HA ha-1 enhanced wheat crop productivity and thus is recommended for wheat cultivation in the agro climatic conditions of Peshawar for improved yield. Application of 2 mg B L-1 improved wheat crop productivity and thus is recommended for wheat cultivation in the agro climatic conditions of Peshawar for better yield.
Keywords: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.); Humic acid; Brassinolide; Yield and yield components
