Assessment of Integrated Nutrient Management Strategies in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Grown in Central India

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2022–23 and 2023–24 at the Agricultural Research Farm, Rabindranath Tagore University, Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, to assess the effect of integrated nutrient management (INM) on the growth and yield attributes of wheat under Central Indian conditions. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effects of different integrated nutrient management practices involving varying fertiliser levels, applied alone or in combination with FYM, zinc sulphate, and biofertilisers, on the growth and yield attributes of wheat. The experiment comprised eleven nutrient management treatments with different levels of the recommended dose of fertilisers (RDF), applied alone or in combination with farmyard manure (FYM), zinc sulphate (ZnSO₄), and biofertilisers (Azotobacter + phosphate-solubilising bacteria), in a randomised block design with three replications. Pooled analysis indicated that INM significantly improved crop growth and yield attributes over the sole application of inorganic fertilisers. Among the treatments, 100% RDF + Azotobacter + PSB inoculation (T₉) recorded the highest dry matter accumulation at harvest (1282.92 g m⁻²), plant height (103.20 cm), tillers at harvest (361 m⁻²), effective tillers (406 m⁻²), spike length (10.40 cm), grains per spike (44.76), and grain weight per spike (1.67 g), together with a test weight of 41.95 g. The 100% RDF + FYM @ 5 t ha⁻¹ treatment (T₇) also performed strongly and recorded the highest numerical test weight (42.02 g), which was statistically at par with T₉. In contrast, the control treatment consistently recorded the lowest values for the measured parameters. These results indicate that 100% RDF combined with Azotobacter + PSB inoculation or FYM @ 5 t ha⁻¹ may be useful INM options for improving wheat performance under the agro-climatic conditions of Central India.