Paper Details

Effect of pre-sowing plants and different nitrogen levels on the yield and yield components of wheat (Triticum  aestivum L.)

Reza Nasri, Ali Kashani, Farzad Paknejad, Saeed Vazan, Mehrshad Barary

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/5.2.157-166

Int. J. Biosci. 5(2), 157-166. July, 2014. (PDF)

Abstract:

A field experiment was conducted to determine the most appropriate level of nitrogen fertilizer and wheat pre-sowing plants during 2012- 2013 sowing season under the temperate climate of Ilam province, IRAN. The experiment was performed in a split plot arrangement based on randomized complete block design with 4 replications. The main plots consisted of 6 pre-sowing plant treatments (control, Perko PVH, Buko, Clover, Oilseed radish and the combination of three plants Ramtil, Phacelia and clover), and sub-plots were allocated to four levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 75, 150 and 225 kg/ ha ). The results showed that there were significant differences among the treatments for the biological yield, total dry weight, protein content, protein yield and the percentage of organic carbon in soil after planting. Boko and Perko produced the highest yield as a pre-sowing plant. The type of Pre-sowing plant significantly affected grain yield, number of spikelets per spike and harvest index. However, the effect of pre-sowing plant type was not significant on the number of grains per spike, thousand grain weight, spike number and grain weight per spike. Increasing the nitrogen levels significantly improved the number of spikelets per spike, grains per spike, grain weight, and the number of spikes per unit area. However, there was a reduction in harvest index and grain weight per spike by increasing the levels of nitrogen. The highest wheat grain yield (8440.8 kg ha-1) was achieved at 150 kg N ha-1 and the lowest (5039 kg ha-1) belonged to control (no N fertilizer). The highest and lowest grain yields were obtained for Buko and no pre-sowing plant with 8345, and 4491 kg ha-1, respectively.