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Pak. J. Bot., 47(6): 2215-2222, 2015.

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EFFECT OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC NUTRIENTS SOURCES ON PHENOLOGY AND GROWTH OF WHEAT

KAWSAR ALI^1*, MUHAMMAD ARIF², SHAHEN SHAH², ZAHID HUSSAIN³, ASAD ALI¹, SAID MUNIR⁴ AND HASSAN SHER⁵

¹Department of Agriculture, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan

²Department of Agronomy; ³Department of weeds Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan

⁴Institute of Hajj and Umrah Research, Umm-Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudia Arabia

⁵Center for Plant Sciences and Biodiversity, University of Swat, Pakistan

^*Corresponding author e-mail: kawsar@awkum.edu.pk

Abstract: Incorporation of biochar to agriculture field has the potential to be a primary factor in maintaining soil fertility and productivity particularly in nitrogen and organic matter limiting environments however, clear experimental evidence to support this views still lacking. The current experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of different organic (biochar and FYM) and inorganic amendments (nitrogen as urea) on the growth and phenology of wheat. The experiment with three factors such as biochar at three levels (0, 25 and 50 t ha^-1), FYM at two levels (5 and 10 t ha^-1) and N at two levels (60 and 120 kg ha^-1) were conducted for 2 years in winter 2012-13 and 2013-14. FYM and N significantly delayed booting, anthesis, milking and maturity in wheat and resulted in higher leaf area, plant height, tillers and spike m^-2 in comparison with control. Biochar application at the rate 25 t ha^-1 took more days to booting, anthesis, milking and maturity as compared to no BC and 50 t BC ha^-1, respectively. Taller plants and improved leaf area were measured in plots where BC was applied at the rate of 50 t ha^-1. It is concluded that biochar application at the rate of 25 t ha^-1 in combination with 60 kg N ha^-1 and 5 t FYM ha^-1 can be used for promoting vigorous wheat growth and development.

Key words: Wheat, Phenology, Leaf area, Growth, Physiology and biochar.