BIOINFOLET - A Quarterly Journal of Life Sciences

A field experiment was undertaken at Agricultural Research Station, Niphad, Dist. Nashik, Maharashtra during 2015–16 in order to assess nutrient requirement of wheat cultivated after harvesting maize for grains. For this purpose maize (cv. Rajeshree) was cultivated during kharif season for obtaining grains, with the application of general recommended dose of fertilizers (120: 60: 40 N: P² O⁵: K² O kg ha⁻¹). This was followed by the cultivation of wheat during rabi season under the influence of five treatments viz. absolute control, general recommended dose of fertilizers (120: 60: 40 N: P² O⁵: K² O kg ha⁻¹), fertilizer application on the basis of soil testing and 125 as well as 150% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF). The results revealed that the application of 150% RDF produced significantly higher grain (37.19 q ha⁻¹) and straw (52.14 q ha⁻¹) yields. One thousand grain weight (44.38 g) and number of grains per earhead (25.50) were also higher due to its application. The grain yield due to the fertilizer application on the basis of soil testing was 35.82 q ha⁻¹, while that due to the application of 125% RDF was 36.96 q ha⁻¹, both being at par with the treatment of 150% RDF. The N, P and K contents in the soil, after harvesting wheat, were higher due to the application of 150% RDF as compared to initial nutrient status of the soil.