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RESPONSE OF WHEAT TO FOLIAR AND SOIL APPLICATION OF UREA AT DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGES

PARVEZ KHAN^*, MUHAMMAD YOUSUF MEMON, MUHAMMAD IMTIAZ AND MUHAMMAD ASLAM

Abstract: A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of foliar application of urea applied in different concentrations and at different stages on yield and yield components of wheat (Triticum aestivum L) cv. “Kiran-95” under agro-climatic condition of Sindh. The experiment was laid out according to randomized complete block design having two factors with four repeats. Six concentrations of urea i.e., 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10% as foliar application along with 60 and 120 kg N ha^-1 were applied as soil application. The results revealed that foliar application of urea significantly increased plant height, spike length, number of grains spike^-1, hundred grain weight, biological yield, grain yield and N uptake by the crop. The foliar spray of 4% urea solution was found to be most effective for enhancing the quantitative and qualitative traits when sprayed at tillering, stem elongation and boot stage. The grain yield was increased by 32% when 4% urea solution was applied as foliar spray. Further increase in the concentrations of urea spray was not found to be useful and economical as it declined the grain yield by 25% or even more probably due to its toxicity.

^*Soil Science Division, Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Tando Jam -70060, Pakistan.

Corresponding author E-mail: parvez_08@yahoo.com; Telephone No. 022-3880868, 2765750