Vol. 12, Issue 11 (2023)

Author(s):
Rahul Kumbhare, AK Jha, Rajendra Patel, Ajay Jaiswal, Vikas Gupta, Pramod Kumar, Dheerendra Kumar Dwivedi and PB Sharma

Abstract:
The current study was conducted at the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Wheat, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur (M.P.) during the Rabi season of 2020. The experiment followed a randomized block design with nine treatments, including various doses of fertilizer, along with the plant growth regulators chlormequat chloride and tebuconazole applied at rates of 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively, and replicated three times. The recommended dose of fertilizer, 120:60:40 kg NPK ha^-1, was applied according to each treatment. The results showed that using 150% of the recommended dose of fertilizer with a growth regulator resulted in a higher plant population at 15 days after sowing (DAS) and at harvest. Additionally, the number of tillers per square meter and dry matter accumulation of wheat at all growth stages (60 DAS and 90 DAS) were higher, except for plant height, which was maximized with 150% of the recommended dose of fertilizer. The most significant number of effective tillers (431.13 per square meter) and grains per ear head (31.397) were observed with the application of 150% of the recommended dose of fertilizer with the growth regulator. The maximum grain, straw, and harvest index of wheat were recorded with 150% of the recommended dose of fertilizer with the regulator, yielding 5562.33 kg/ha, 7495.62 kg/ha, and 42.60, respectively. The grain, straw, and harvest index of wheat due to different growth retardant treatments showed no statistically significant differences. In conclusion, it can be recommended that using the optimal dose of fertilizer with a plant growth regulator, such as 150% of the recommended dose, is a sustainable strategy for enhancing the growth and productivity of wheat.