Effect of sulphur and micronutrient embedded fertilization on growth dynamics of wheat under diverse agroecologies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58628/JAE-2622-104Keywords:
Wheat growth indices, sulphur, zinc-embedded sulphur, micronutrients, crop growth rateAbstract
Supplementation of micronutrients is recognized as essential for improving crop growth in intensive cereal-based cropping systems. A two-location study was conducted during 2023 and 2024 at New Delhi and Karnal to evaluate the effects of sulphur (S) and embedded fertilizers on growth dynamics of wheat. Nine treatments were replicated thrice in randomized block design, with combinations of recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), S, zinc-embedded S (Zn-ES), multimicronutrient embedded S (MM-ES), farmyard manure (FYM), and microbial consortia. A combination of RDF + S (15 kg ha-1) + Zn-ES (10 kg ha-1) + MM-ES (15 kg ha-1) recorded the highest leaf area index, crop growth rate (CGR), relative growth rate (RGR), and net assimilation rate (NAR). At harvest, dry matter accumulation improved by 14.3% at Karnal and CGR (45-90 DAS) reached 14.1 g m-2 day-1. Integrated sulphur and micronutrient embedded fertilization improves growth dynamics, offering a sustainable nutrient management strategy for wheat.
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