Effect of seed priming and plant geometry on productivity and profitability of wheat (Triticum aestivum) in modified system of wheat intensification under subtropical conditions of Jammu

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) seasons of 2018–19 and 2019–20 at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Chatha, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, to evaluate the effect of seed priming and plant geometry on productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in modified system of wheat intensification under subtropical conditions of Jammu. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with 3 replications. The treatments comprised different combinations of primed and un-primed wheat seed sown at 4 different plant geometries (20 cm x 5 cm, 20 x 10 cm, 20 cm x 15 cm and 20 x 20 cm) along with conventional sown wheat. The results indicated that, primed seed sown at plant geometry of 20 cm x 5 cm exhibited significantly higher number of tillers/m² (346.9), dry-matter accumulation (167.4 g), ears/m² (359.3), grain yield (5.25t/ha) and straw yield (6.49t/ha) which was at par with the primed wheat seed sown at plant geometry of 20 cm x 10 cm and conventional sowing of primed seed. However, with respect to mean grain and straw yields, the primed seed sown at plant geometry of 20 cm x 5 cm registered 23.87 and 20.43% increment in grain and straw yield over conventional sowing of wheat. Further, the conventional sowing of primed seed recorded the highest net returns (85,874/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (3.28).