Vol. 11, Special Issue 2 (2022)

Author(s):
Manish Kakraliya, Rajesh Singh, Meena Choudhary, Manoj Kumar Gora, KK Bijarnia, Sankar Lal Choudhary and Rohan Serawat

Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted during the winter season of 2017-18 at the student’s instructional farm of research farm, SHUATS, Prayagraj (U.P.), to find a suitable combination of inorganic and organic nitrogen sources for wheat (Triticum aestivm L.). The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with 12 treatment combinations, consisting of three nitrogen levels (100,125 and 150 kg N ha^-1) on soil test basis (STB) compared to farmer practice (FP) and nitrogen management viz. 100% N through urea, 75% N through urea + 25% N through vermin-compost with Azotobacter (seed inoculation).The growth and yield attributes viz. plant height (22.0 cm), dry matter production (198.2 g m^-2), tillers (204.4 m^-2), crop-growth rate (2.78 g m^-2 day), and yield attributes viz. grains spike^-1 were recorded significantly higher with 150 kg N ha^-1 (farmer practice) when applied 100% N through urea over the treatments. Similarly, highest grain yield (45.6 q ha^-1) and harvest index also recorded with T11. However, leaf area index (1.59), effective tillers, straw yield (76.3 q ha^-1) and biological yield recorded significantly higher in T12 {150 kg N ha^-1 (farmer practice) 75% N through urea + 25% N through vermin-compost with Azotobacter (seed inoculation)}. The experimental result reveals this saving of nitrogen by 17 to 32 kg ha^-1 through soil test based application, while without any significant effect on growth and yield of wheat was noticed. The lowest cost of cultivation recorded with T1 (Rs 28,560 ha^-1) {100 kg N ha^-1 (STB) 100% N through urea, whereas higher in T12. Net returns found higher with T11 (Rs 58,290 ha^-1) and found at par with T5 {150 kg N ha^-1 (STB) 100% N through urea} and T9 {150 kg N ha^-1 (STB) 100% N through urea.