Growth and grain yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as influenced by farm yard manure in combination with phosphatic fertilizer

The key constraints to sustainable wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production are the emergence of multiple nutrient deficiencies, low fertilizer use efficiencies, less use of organic manure and unbalanced use of fertilizers. In present study, the effects of farm yard manure (FYM) in combination with different doses of phosphatic fertilizer on the growth and grain yield of wheat were studied at Adaptive Research Farm, Vehari, Pakistan. Five treatments including FYM + 128-00-62, FYM + 128-28-62, FYM + 128-57-62, FYM + 128-114- 62 and 128-114-62 kg per ha NPK with three replications were arranged according to randomized complete block design (RCBD). Two years data revealed that maximum tillers (342 and 340 m-2), number of grains plus spike (43.82 and 40.11), 1000-grain weight (37.52 and 32.17g) and grain yield (5265 and 4478 kg per ha) were recorded with FYM + 128-114-62 kg per ha NPK followed by 331 and 335.1 tillers m-2, 42.51 and 39.26 number of grains plus spike, 37.12 and 30.52 g 1000-grain weight and 4683 and 4136 kg per ha grain yield with 128-114-62 kg per ha NPK during 2008-09 and 2009-10, respectively. The lowest grain yield of 3932 and 3217 kg per ha were produced during 2008-09 and 2009-10, respectively where FYM + 128-00-62 kg per ha NPK were applied. The highest net return of Rs.15120 were obtained from the plots where FYM + 128-114-62 kg per ha NPK were applied followed by Rs.6921 with FYM + 128-57-62 kg per ha NPK. The results suggested that addition of phosphatic fertilizers in combination with FYM improved the growth and yield of wheat under agro-ecological conditions of southern Punjab, Pakistan.