Vol. 10, Issue 11 (2021)

Author(s):
RM Muchhadiya, RB Thanki, HL Sakarvadia and PM Muchhadiya

Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted on medium black calcareous soil at Junagadh (Gujarat) during rabi season of 2019-20 to study the effect of NPK levels along with city compost on growth, yield and economics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under system of wheat intensification (SWI). Total twelve treatment combinations, consisting of three system of sowing (S₁: normal practice at 22.5 cm, S₂: SWI at 20 cm × 20 cm and S₃: SWI at 25 cm × 25 cm) were assigned to main plot and four fertility levels (F₁: city compost 10 t/ha, F₂: 50% RDF + city compost 5 t/ha, F₃: 75% RDF + city compost 5 t/ha and F₄: 100% RDF) were allotted to sub plots in a split plot design with three replications. The experimental results revealed that sowing of wheat under system of wheat intensification (SWI) at 25 cm × 25 cm and 20 cm × 20 cm recorded significantly higher values of plant height, dry matter accumulation/plant, root volume/plant, root dry weight/plant, length of spike, number of spikelets/spike, number of grains/spike, grain weight/spike and 1000-grain weight. Although SWI at 20 cm × 20 cm produced significantly maximum number of effective tillers/m² and ultimately gave higher grain yield and straw yield with higher net return and B:C ratio. Application of 75% RDF (90-45-45 kg N- P₂O₅- K₂O/ha) + city compost 5 t/ha enhanced almost all the growth parameters viz., plant height, dry matter accumulation/plant, root volume/plant and root dry weight/plant, yield attributes viz., number of total tillers/m row length, number of effective tillers/m row length, number of effective tillers/m², number of effective tillers/plant, length of spike, number of spikelets/spike, number of grains/spike, grain weight/spike and 1000-grain weight and resultantly gave higher grain yield and straw yield with higher net return. Maximum B:C ratio was achieved when wheat was fertilized with 100% RDF, followed by 75% RDF + city compost 5 t/ha_.