Influence of Phosphorus and Zinc Nutrition on Growth and Yield of Wheat

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi season of 2020-21 at Agronomy Instructional Farm, C. P. College of Agriculture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar. The soil of experimental field was loamy sand in texture with neutral in reaction (pH 7.01) and electrical conductivity within safe limit (0.19 dSm-1). The soil was low in organic carbon content (0.39 %), DTPA-extractable Fe (2.59 mg kg-1), DTPA-extractable Mn (4.51 mg kg-1); medium in available P2O5 (41.26 kg ha-1), K2O (162.65 kg ha-1), DTPA– extractable Zn (0.71 mg   kg-1) and DTPA– extractable Cu (0.31 mg kg-1). The experiment consisted of two factors each having four levels each of phosphorus (P0–0 kg P2O5 ha-1, P1–30 kg P2O5 ha-1, P2–60 kg P2O5 ha-1 and P3–90 kg P2O5 ha-1) and zinc (Zn0–0 kg Zn ha-1, Zn1–2.5 kg Zn ha-1, Zn2–5.0 kg Zn ha-1 and Zn3–7.5 kg Zn ha-1). Total sixteen treatment combinations were laid out in randomized block design with factorial concept and replicated three times. The results revealed that application of 90 kg P2O5 ha-1 (P3) and 7.5 kg Zn ha-1 recorded significantly the higher no. of effective tillers/plant, length of ear head, no. of spikelets per ear head and grain and straw yields; which was found at par with 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 and 5.0 kg Zn ha-1. Thus, application of 90 kg P2O5 ha-1 + 7.5 kg Zn ha-1 in wheat were optimum doses for obtaining higher productivity, growth parameters.