Response of wheat to water deficit and foliar spray of urea and potassium sulphate

A field experiment was conducted to study the impact of foliar spray of urea and potassium sulphate during phonological water deficit on the growth and yield of wheat crop. The soil moisture stress at CRI, tillering and flowering stage reduced the grain yield by 25.9, 8.2 and 12.5% respectively over control. Foliar spray of potassium sulphate was effective in improving the grain yield by 6.5–9.1%. Plant growth parameters like plant height and tillering were significantly reduced under water deficit at CRI and tillering stages. Grain filling was affected by stress at flowering but length of panicle and grain number remained unaffected at tillering and flowering. Crop sensitivity to phenological water stress in sandy loam soil was in the order of CRI > flowering > tillering stage.