Impact of nitrogen levels and varieties on growth, development and yield attributing characters of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under timely sown conditions in western Uttar Pradesh

Abstract:

The present investigation entitled “Performance of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties at Different Levels of Nitrogen Under Timely Sown Conditions in North Western Uttar Pradesh” was carried out during Rabi season 2024-25 under Department of Agronomy at R.B.S. College, Agriculture Research Farm Bichpuri, Agra. The variable involved in this study were four nitrogen levels N₀ (N @ 0 kg ha⁻¹), N₁ (N @ 75 kg ha⁻¹), N₂ (N @ 150 kg ha⁻¹), and N₃ (N @ 225 kg ha⁻¹),) and three varieties V₁-(DBW-303), V₂-(DBW-371) and V₃-(HD-3298) thus in all 12 treatment combinations were compared in Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) with three replications. The results indicated that the Germination count at 15 DAS was not significantly influenced by nitrogen levels or varieties. However, the number of shoots m⁻¹ row length, plant height and dry matter accumulation at harvest increased significantly with increasing nitrogen levels up to N @ 225 kg ha⁻¹ (N₃), remaining statistically at par with N @ 150 kg ha⁻¹ (N₂). Application of 150 kg N ha⁻¹ hastened 75 per cent spike emergence (87.36 days) and crop maturity (134.11 days) and yield attributing characters, viz., spike length (13.25 cm), number of spikelets spike-1 (16.76), number of grains spike-1 (62.12), grain weight spike-1 (4.08 g) and 1000-grain weight (42.36 g), were recorded maximum under nitrogen @ 150 kg ha⁻¹, being at par with 225 kg N ha⁻¹. Among the varieties, variety DBW-303 recorded the maximum plants height, highest dry matter accumulation at harvest and superior yield attributes, followed by variety DBW-371, while variety HD-3298 remained the lowest for all the characters studied.