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Effect of Different Nitrogen Rates and Split Applications on Growth and Productivity of Wheat Cultivars

Auswirkung von verschiedenen Stickstoffmengen und geteilter Anwendung auf Wachstum und Produktivität von Weizensorten

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Abstract

Nitrogen (N) is an imperative nutrient for crop growth and development. Its application is associated with crop growth stages for optimum rate to overcome production cost. A field experiment was carried out for two consecutive years with the aim to investigate the integrative effects of N application rate and timing on the growth rate and yield contributing traits of wheat cultivars. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with split plots arrangements using three replications for two consecutive years (2016–17 and 2017–18). The treatments combinations were N application rate (NAR; 0, 100, 120, 140, and 160 kg ha−1) and timing (NAT1: 100% of the applied dose at sowing; NAT2: 50% at sowing and 50% at tillering (70 days after sowing; DAS); NAT3: 25% at sowing, 50% at tillering and 25% at booting stage (100 DAS); NAT4: 25% at sowing, 25% at tillering and 50% at booting stage). Results showed that NAR and cultivars significantly affected number of days to anthesis and plant height. The days to maturity were also significantly different regarding NAR, NAT and cultivars. Concerning crop growth rate (CGR) reported at different stages (i.e. tillering, anthesis and grain filling), an increasing trend was observed at 140 kg N ha−1 and NAT3. Similarly, 140 kg N ha−1 given as NAT3 significantly affected spike length and spike weight and resulted in higher grain yield and biomass. Hence, it can be concluded that three splits N (NAT3) were more efficient for wheat variety of Pakhtunkhwa 2015 under the recent changes in climate, which has a shift in precipitation with more frequent distribution in the crop growth durations to overcome loss and increase wheat yield.

Zusammenfassung

Stickstoff (N) ist ein unverzichtbarer Nährstoff für das Wachstum und die Entwicklung von Pflanzen. Sein Einsatz richtet sich nach den Wachstumsstadien der Pflanzen, um die Produktionskosten zu senken. In zwei aufeinanderfolgenden Jahren wurde ein Feldversuch durchgeführt, um die integrativen Auswirkungen der Stickstoffausbringungsrate und des Zeitpunkts der Ausbringung auf die Wachstumsrate und die ertragssteigernden Eigenschaften von Weizensorten zu untersuchen. Der Versuch wurde in zwei aufeinanderfolgenden Jahren (2016–17 und 2017–18) in einem randomisierten vollständigen Blockversuch im Split-Plot-Design und drei Wiederholungen angelegt. Die Behandlungskombinationen waren die N‑Anwendungsrate (NAR; 0, 100, 120, 140 und 160 kg ha−1) und der Zeitpunkt (NAT1: 100 % der angewendeten Dosis bei der Aussaat; NAT2: 50 % bei der Aussaat und 50 % bei der Bestockung (70 Tage nach der Aussaat; days after sowing, DAS); NAT3: 25 % bei der Aussaat, 50 % bei der Bestockung und 25 % beim Austrieb (100 DAS); NAT4: 25 % bei der Aussaat, 25 % bei der Bestockung und 50 % beim Austrieb). Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die NAR und Sorten die Anzahl der Tage bis zur Anthese und die Pflanzenhöhe signifikant beeinflussten. Die Tage bis zur Reife unterschieden sich ebenfalls signifikant bezüglich NAR, NAT und Sorte. Was die Wachstumsrate (crop growth rate, CGR) in den verschiedenen Stadien (d. h. Bestockung, Anthese und Kornfüllung) betrifft, so wurde bei 140 kg N ha−1 und NAT3 ein steigender Trend beobachtet. In ähnlicher Weise wirkte sich 140 kg N ha−1, verabreicht als NAT3, signifikant auf die Ährenlänge und das Ährengewicht aus und führte zu einem höheren Kornertrag und einer höheren Biomasse. Daraus lässt sich schließen, dass die Aufteilung in drei Mengen für die Weizensorte Pakhtunkhwa 2015 unter den jüngsten Klimaveränderungen, die eine Verschiebung der Niederschläge mit häufigerer Verteilung in den Wachstumsperioden der Pflanzen mit sich bringen, effizienter ist, um Verluste zu überwinden und den Weizenertrag zu steigern.

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Acknowledgements

The authors highly acknowledged the financial support of Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) in the form of NRPU project No 20-5178 for the completion of this field and lab research in the University of Agriculture Peshawar.

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  1. Department of Agronomy, Crop Production Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Gul Roz Khan, Mohammad Akmal, Nawab Ali, Rabia Goher & Muhammad Mehran Anjum

  2. Department of Agriculture, University of Swabi, Khyber, Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

    Fazli Wahid

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  1. Gul Roz Khan
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  2. Mohammad Akmal
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Correspondence to Gul Roz Khan.

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G.R. Khan, M. Akmal, N. Ali, R. Goher, M.M. Anjum and F. Wahid declare that they have no competing interests.

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Khan, G.R., Akmal, M., Ali, N. et al. Effect of Different Nitrogen Rates and Split Applications on Growth and Productivity of Wheat Cultivars. Gesunde Pflanzen 74, 523–538 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10343-022-00628-z

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