2024, Vol. 7, Special Issue 8

author(s)
Jyoti Bala, Kartikeya Choudhary, Ranjeet Singh Bochalya and Himanshu

abstract
The current experiment was conducted at Chamelti Agriculture Farm, Shoolini University, Solan during rabi season of 2023-24 to study the effect of different nitrogen levels and nano urea on growth and yield attributes of wheat under mid hills of Himachal Pradesh. The soil of experimental field was sandy loam in texture, medium organic carbon, available nitrogen and potassium, high in phosphorous and neutral in reaction with EC in safer range. The field experiment was laid out in Split plot design consisting of four treatments in main plot and three treatments in sub plot. The treatments of main plot were comprising of four nitrogen levels viz., Control, 50% RDN, 75% RDN and 100% RDN (recommended dose of nitrogen) and three foliar spray of Nano urea in sub plot viz., CRI stage, Tillering stage and Jointing stage. The recommended doses of fertilizers were applied in each plot. The doses of phosphorous and potassium were applied as basal at the time of sowing through SSP and MOP. Nitrogen was applied in two split doses, half dose was applied through urea at the time of sowing as basal dose and remaining half dose was applied in two equal splits at the time of CRI and tillering stage. While, foliar application of nano urea was applied as per treatment @ 3 ml l-1 of water. Other operations were performed as per package of practices of this area. The results revealed that application of 100% RDN recorded significantly higher crop growth characters and yield attributes viz., plant height (cm), number of tillers (m-2), chlorophyll content, dry matter accumulation (g m-2), crop growth rate (g m-2 day-1), number of effective tillers (m-2) and number of grains spike-1. While, foliar spray of nano urea at jointing stage resulted in significantly higher plant height and chlorophyll content. However, Foliar spray of nano urea at tillering stage resulted in significantly higher number of tillers, dry matter accumulation, crop growth rate, number of effective tillers, number of grains spike-1. Spike length (cm) and test weight (g) was higher with the application of 100% RDN and nano urea at tillering stage but the difference was found to be non-significant.