Nutrient Management in Wheat for Improving Fertilizer Use Efficiency, Productivity and Soil Health in Indo-gangetic Plains of U.p.

Abstract

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the staple food of 40 percent human population across the globe and requires adequate supply of nutrients especially nitrogen for its growth and yield (Kumar et al., 2004). On account of continuing world energy crisis, spiralling prices of chemical fertilizers and environmental concerns, use of organic sources of plant nutrients, being renewable, is gaining attention. Therefore, an investigation entitled “Effect of nutrient management in wheat for improving fertilizer use efficiency, productivity and soil health” was conducted to sustain growth in productivity and soil health through novel sources of nutrients and their modes of applications on variety DBW 71 with 14 treatments consisting of control, basal applications of recommended NPK(80:60:40)/NPK Granules (200 kg ha-1) + FYM (5 t ha-1) + Bio-stimulant granules ( 62.5 kg ha-1) +NPK Bio-fertilizer(seed treatment) and top dressing of urea 20 (kg ha-1)/ bio-stimulant (625ml/ha)/ NPK Powder (1%) sprays (40/55/70 DAS) in various combinations in RBD with 3 replications at crop research centre of SVPUA&T, Meerut (U.P.) during rabi 2017-19.The soil was well drained sandy loam, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and potassium with slightly alkaline pH. The results of the study revealed that wheat when grown with incorporation of FYM +Bio-stimulant –L attainted significantly better growth as reflected by taller plants, higher LAI, LAD CGR,RGR,NAR, and higher dry matter accumulation across the stages. Yield attributes and yields viz. effective tillers m-1 row length (106.9) number of grains ear-1 (49.7), test weight (40.2g), grain yield (4757.5 kg ha-1) and straw yield (6399 kg ha-1) as against respective value of 78.3, 38, 36.3, 3220, 4991.5 with recommended NPK and 62.85, 36.8, 35.8, 2644 and 4256.5 with no treatment application. The crop contained 1.63 %N, 0.31% P, 0. 69% K in grain 0.57% N, 0.11% P and 1.34% K in straw. Such crop exhibited agronomic, physiological and apparent recovery efficiency of NPK of the order of 3.2 kg kg-1 of nutrient applied, 14.0 kg kg-1 of nutrient uptake and 0.23% as against recommended NPK. Applications of FYM, NPK-bio fertilizer+ Urea, Bio-stimulant + NPK sprays worked synergistically and increased grain yields by 29.8, 35.23, 50.26 and 41.07 % over their respective control. Soil organic carbon (0.47 %), available N(227 kg ha-1), available P (27.70 kg ha-1), available K (172.13), dehydrogenase activity and microbial population (bacteria, fungal & actinomycetes) in soil was also highest with the treatment. The crop required an investment of Rs ha-1 131453 and fetched net return of Rs. 96154 with B:C ratio of 3.72. Thus, the wheat crop grown with application of FYM 5 t/ha +NPK (12-32-16) -G @ 200kg/ha + NPK-bio fertilizer (seed treatment) +Urea @20 kg/ha and foliar spray NPK(18-18-18) -P@ 1% & Bio-stimulant –L 625ml/ha had attained better growth (plant height, dry matter accumulation, LAI,LAD,CGR, RGR, NAR, yield attributes (effective tillers, grains per spike, test weight) yield and fetched higher gross and net returns with higher B:C ratio. Significantly improved the nutrient uptake, protein content, soil physico-chemical and biological properties bulk density, partical density, aggregate stability, microbial population, dehydrogenase activity also indicate a properties trend.