Effect of Different Levels of Phosphorus and Biofertilizers on Yield and Economics of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2023 at the Crop Research Farm, Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University, Dehradun. The study, designed as a Randomized Block Design (4x3 factorial) with three replications, aimed to evaluate the effects of various levels of phosphorus, PSB, and VAM on wheat development and production. Among the treatments, P3 (60 kg ha⁻¹ phosphorus) yielded the best results in growth parameters such as plant height, dry weight, number of tillers, crop growth rate, and relative growth rate. Additionally, treatment P3 showed significantly higher yield attributes and overall yield compared to other treatments. Among the biofertilizers, O3 (PSB + VAM) exhibited the highest growth attributes, yield attributes, and yield for wheat. Conversely, the lowest growth parameters, including plant height, leaf area index (LAI), biomass accumulation, root length, and yield components, were observed in the treatment combining PSB with phosphorus application at 70 kg ha⁻¹, indicating its relative ineffectiveness in enhancing overall plant growth and development.