Effect of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizer Combinations on Nutrient Use Efficiency and Wheat Yield in Calcareous Soils

Abstract

The deficiency of most essential plant nutrients is prevalent due to low organic matter, high alkalinity and calcareousness in Pakistan. The mix of low nutrient availability and climate change eventually affects the productivity of crops. Nitrogen and phosphorus are the essential elements for plant metabolism hence the optimal supply of phosphorus and nitrogen are very crucial for plant growth. This is the necessity to implement certain practices to boost nutrients use efficiency and production of crops. A field study was carried out at the research area of the Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad to assess the effect of different combinations of nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilizers on nutrients use efficiency and wheat yield. The sources of P used in the experiment were nitrophos (NP) and Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), while sources of N were urea and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN). Sulfate of potash (SoP) fertilizer was used to fulfill the requirement of potassium. There were total five treatments including control and each treatment was replicated three times. At the time of sowing full dose of phosphorus and potassium were applied while nitrogen application was done at sowing, tillering, and booting (flower initiation) stages. Four different combinations of N and P fertilizers were applied according to the treatment plan (i.e. CAN+NP, CAN+DAP, Urea+NP, and Urea+DAP). At the time of harvest, data regarding nutrient uptake, nutrients use efficiency, yield and growth parameters were recorded. Results revealed that a combination of CAN and NP improved all the growth parameters and thus produced more yield as compare to other combinations. The estimated impact of NP and CAN combination was 12.7% higher as compared to DAP and urea combination in terms of grain yield. In CAN+NP combination grain yield, 1000-grain weight and number of tillers were increased by 12.7, 9 and 26 %, respectively as compared to urea + DAP combination.