Dry matter partitioning and grain yield of wheat as affected by sources, methods and timing of nitrogen application

Abstract

The aim of this research was to evaluate source, methods and timing of nitrogen application for dry matter partitioning and productivity in wheat. The experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design at Agronomic Research Farm of the University of Agriculture, Peshawar Khyber Pukhtunkhwa during fall 2015. Wheat variety Atta Habib was used as a test crop, and was seeded @ 100 kg ha^-1 during 2^nd week of November. Urea was applied as a source of mineral nitrogen @ 90 kg ha^-1 as full and split doses with different growth stages i.e at sowing, at tillering and at booting, while farmyard manure, poultry manure and legume residue @ of 5 t ha^-1 were used as sources of  organic nitrogen. Sources, methods and timing of nitrogen application had significantly influenced dry matter partitioning at pre-anthesis stage, at physiological maturity and final yield. In case of sources of nitrogen higher dry matter partitioning at pre-anthesis stage to leaf (134.31 g m^-2), stem (540.91 g m^-2), spike (156.12 g m^-2), and at maturity stage to leaf (103.54 g m^-2), stem (605.24 g m^-2), spike (948.32 g m^-2)  and grain yield (3997 kg ha^-1) was recorded for poultry manure incorporated plots, Whereas legume residue performed poor in all measured parameters. In case of timing and methods of nitrogen application dry matter partitioning at pre- anthesis to leaf (147.50 g m^-2), stem (613 g m^-2), spike (170.70 g m^-2), and at maturity to leaf (109.52 g m^-2), stem (676.23 g m^-2) and to spike (983.85 g m^-2) and grain yield (4419 kg ha^-1) were higher when nitrogen was applied half at tillering and half boot stage. It was concluded that integrated use of poultry manure (5 t ha^-1) as source of nitrogen along with 90 kg ha^-1 as a mineral nitrogen in 2 splits half at tillering and half at boot stage had accelerated dry matter partitioning at both stages i.e pre-anthesis and physiological maturity toward the final grain yield under agro-ecological condition of Peshawar, Pakistan.

Keywords: Nitrogen sources; Timing; Methods; Dry matter partitioning; Grain yield

http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2017.600128