Effect of precision nitrogen-management and conservation tillage practices on growth, yield attributes and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum) in western Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted on sandy loam at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel university of agriculture and technology, Meerut (Uttar Pradesh) during the winter (rabi) season of 2017–18, to study the effect of precision nitrogen management in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown under conservation agriculture. The treatment comprising of tillage four crop establishment methods (T1 - Zero tillage (ZTW), T2 - Reduced tillage (RT), T3 - Furrow irrigation raised beds (FIRB), T4 - Conventional tillage (CTW)) in main plot and precision five nitrogen management (F1 – N 80:20 - N rate split as 80% basal and 20% at second irrigation, F2 - N 33:33:33 - N rate split as 33% basal, 33% at CRI stage (20–25 DAS) and 33% at second irrigation (40–45 DAS), F3 - N 80 – LCC - Split as 80% basal and further application of N based on LCC, F4 – N 50:50 - N rate split as 50% basal and 50% at CRI stage and F5 – FFP - farmers fertilization practice) in sub-plot and laid out in split-plot design with three replications. Results revealed that the maximum values of growth parameters (plant height, number of tiller, dry matter accumulation), yield attributes (number of spike, spike length, grain spike-1 and test weight) and yield was recorded in furrow irrigated raised beds system than rest of the tillage practices. Among precision nitrogen management treatments, the maximum values of growth characters (plant height, number of tiller and dry matter), yield attributes (number of spikes, spike length, grain spike-1 and test weight), grain and straw yield were noticed with application of fertilizer as N 80-LCC respectively. Thus, the use of furrow irrigated raised bed system along with application of nutrient as N 80 – LCC resulted the best combination for achieving higher growth, yield attributes and productivity of wheat crop.