Effect of integrated nutrient management on yield of wheat (Triticumaestivum L.)

Climate change is the main reason of stagnation of crop yield in Rajasthan as well as in worldwide and integrated nutrient management and/or organic farming is only vital option for sustaining the productivity of wheat. An on farm trial was conducted during Rabi 2008–09 at farmers’ fields in two villages of Lalsot block of Dausa district of Rajasthan, which falls in agro climatic zone IIIa (Semi arid eastern plain zone). Soils of the experimental sites were sandy to sandy loam in texture, slight alkaline in reaction, low in nitrogen and phosphorus and medium in potassium status. The trial consists two treatments namely T1-Application of 2.5 t/ha vermi compost + half dose of recommended NPK (120: 10: 15), T2-Full recommended dose of NPK (120: 20: 30)+ 10 t/ha FYM + zinc sulphate @ 25 kg/ha. The above two treatments were replicated 2 times at farmers fields of the Khatwa & Shahpura villages of Lalsot block of Dausa district. The wheat variety Raj 3765 was grown in the Ist week of December. The crop was harvested in the last week of March 2009. The results of the experiment indicated treatment T1-Application of 2.5 t/ha vermi compost + half dose of recommended NPK (120: 10: 15) not only reduced the cost of cultivation of wheat but also recorded the yield attributing characters like number of tiller/plant (3.68 & 3.79), ear length (10.8 & 10.9 cm), test weight (38.8 & 38.7 g) and grain (40.2 & 41.5 q/ha) and straw yield (50.6 & 52.5 q/ha) of wheat which is comparable to treatment T2-Full recommended dose of NPK (120: 20: 30)+ 10 t/ha FYM + zinc sulphate @ 25 kg/ha, hich recorded the number of tillers/plant (3.71 & 3.82), ear length (11.0 & 11.2 cm), test weight (39.0 & 39.0 g), grain yield (41.5 & 42.0 q/ha) and straw yield (52.8 & 54.0 q/ha). Overall results indicated that yield attributing characters as well as yield of wheat were more or less similar in both the treatments it means that the chemical fertilizers can be minimized up to half dose without decreasing the yield of wheat substantially and more over the physical, chemical and biological condition of soil will also improved by using the 2.5 t/ha vermi compost.