Response of Zero Tillage Wheat to Row Spacing and Nitrogen Application Methods
Response of Zero Tillage Wheat to Row Spacing and Nitrogen Application Methods
Sikandar Hayat, Khalid Usman* and Muhammad Tahir Amin
ABSTRACT
Zero tillage is a cost effective and resource conserving technique, however, drill clogging and immobilization of nitrogen are problems in the standing stubbles of the previous crop. Row adjustment and an appropriate N fertilizer application method may be a possible solution. Field trials were carried out to explore suitable row spacing and N fertilizer application method for zero tillage wheat at Agronomic Research Area, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan (D. I. Khan), Pakistan in 2015-2016 wheat growing season. The experimental design was randomized complete block with split plot arrangement replicated thrice. Four row-spacing i.e., 10, 20, 30, and 40cm were assigned to main-plots while N fertilizer application methods (broadcast and placement) were kept in subplots. Results revealed that row spacing of 30 cm had higher yield and yield components besides higher benefit cost ratio (3.50). Nitrogen placement method proved to be superior to broadcast method of application regarding wheat yield and yield contributing traits. Row spacing and N application methods interaction showed that zero tillage wheat had the optimum wheat yield (5352 kg ha-1) when grown at 30 cm row spacing and fertilized with N placement method. The overall results indicated that N placement method along with 30 cm row spacing is quite feasible in zero tillage wheat having no clogging problem to wheat seeder besides higher yield (5352 kg ha-1) and economic return as evident from the BCR data (3.80).
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