Evaluate the influence of improved agrotechniques on growth and development of irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Introduction

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), belonging to the family Poaceae and popularly known as the "King of Cereals," is one of the most important cereal crops globally and serves as a major source of energy, protein and essential nutrients. In India, wheat was cultivated on 31.83 million ha with a production of 113.29 million tonnes and productivity of 3559 kg ha⁻¹ during 2023-24 (DES, 2024). The rice-wheat region of north-western India contributes substantially to national food production, particularly wheat production. Among improved sowing techniques, criss-cross sowing provides better plant distribution and higher plant population, resulting in more productive tillers, efficient utilization of available resources and reduced weed growth, especially under heatstressed conditions. Chouhan et al. (2017) [2] reported 22.7 per cent higher wheat yield with criss-cross sowing at 20 × 20 cm spacing. Furrow irrigated raised bed (FIRB) sowing is another resource-conserving technique that improves wateruse efficiency and crop productivity, with reported irrigation water savings of 20-50 per cent in wheat (Hobbs and Gupta, 2003) [3] . In addition, soil test-based nutrient management ensures balanced and need-based fertilizer application, reduces excessive fertilizer use and nutrient losses, lowers input costs, and helps maintain soil fertility and nutrient-use efficiency. Thus, integration of improved sowing methods with soil test-based nutrient management can play an important role in enhancing wheat productivity and resource-use efficiency.

Materials and Methods

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi 2021-22 and 2022-23 at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The soil of the experimental field was clay loam in texture. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 12 treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of different combinations of T 1 -Flat bed normal sowing +STB nutriensts (NPK), Flat bed normal sowing + STB nutrients (NPK), Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + STB nutrients, Raised bed sowing + STB nutrients, Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + STB nutrients + seed treatment with PSB & Azotobacter, Raised bed sowing + STB nutrients + seed treatment with PSB and Azotobacter, Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + STB nutrients + Bioenriched Vermicompost @ 2.5 q ha -1 , Raised bed sowing + STB nutrients + Bio-enriched Vermicompost @ 2.5 q ha -1 , Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + STB nutrients + foliar spray of 19:19:19 NPK @ 1%, Raised bed sowing +STB nutrient + foliar spray of 19:19:19 NPK @ 1%, Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + 150% of STB nutrients, Flat bed with Crisscross sowing + 150% of STB nutrients + Growth retardant (Cycocel 0.2%), Flat bed normal sowing + RDF (120:60:40 Kg NPK ha -1 ) (Standard Check). Influence of above mentioned treatments on wheat was studied for seed www.extensionjournal.com yields and economics of wheat. Yield of wheat and economics were computed and analyzed statistically using Ftest, the procedure given by Gomez and Gomez (1984) [4] . Critical difference (CD) values at P=0.05 were used to determine the significance of mean differences of treatments. LAI was given by Watson (1947) [5] . [6] and Paikra et al. (2024) [7] . [2] , Kumar et al. (2019) [8] and Singh et al. (2023) [9] .

LAI = 𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑓 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝐿𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡

Results and Discussion

Dry matter accumulation

Leaf area index

At 60 and 90 DAS, the highest LAI was recorded under T 8 -Criss cross sowing + STB nutrients + foliar spray of 19:19:19 NPK, with values of 3.82 and 4.43, respectively, during 2021-22 and 3.90 and 4.50, respectively, during 2022-23. The higher LAI under T 8 may be attributed to the combined effect of improved canopy architecture under Criss cross sowing and balanced foliar nutrition through 19:19:19 NPK, which promoted leaf initiation, expansion and maintenance of green foliage, resulting in a denser photosynthetically active canopy. Similarly, an increase in leaf area index of wheat with soil test based fertilizer and foliar application of NPK has also been reported by Kumar et al. (2019) [8] and Singh et al. (2023) [9] .

The highest leaf area per m² was recorded under T 8 -Criss cross sowing + STB nutrients + foliar spray of 19:19:19 NPK, with values of 38,230.00 and 44,266.67 cm 2 m -2 , respectively, during 2021-22 and 38,966.67 and 45,000.00 cm 2 m -2 , respectively, during 2022-23. In comparison to the standard check T 12 , T 8 recorded 58.56 and 57.36 per cent higher leaf area per m² at 60 and 90 DAS, respectively, during 2021-22, while the corresponding increase during 2022-23 was 50.08 and 57.89 per cent, respectively. While foliar application of balanced NPK may have enhanced nutrient absorption and leaf expansion, resulting in a larger photosynthetically active leaf surface. Similar improvement in leaf area and leaf area index of wheat with foliar feeding of NPK (19:19:19) was reported by Singh et al. (2023) [9] .

References

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