Influence of methods of sowing and seed rates on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum) under different dates of sowing.

摘要

The effects of sowing date (25 November, 10 December or 25 December), sowing method (broadcasting or line sowing) and sowing rate (100, 125 or 150 kg/ha) on the growth and yield of wheat cv. HUW-234 were studied in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, during rabi 1995/96. Higher grain (45.90 quintal/ha) and straw (74.57 quintal/ha) yields, harvest index (38.10), net return (12 566 rupees/ha) and benefit cost ratio (1.57) were obtained with sowing on 25 November than on 10 and 25 December. The increases in grain and straw yield were associated with the enhancement of germination count, plant height, number of tillers, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, and test weight. Line sowing resulted in a greater number of tillers/m2 (343.9), plant height (108.4 cm), spike length (11.85 cm), number of spikelets per spike (18.14), number of grains per spike (48.14), grain yield (42.31 quintal/ha), straw yield (72.59 quintal/ha) and net return (11 008 rupees/ha) than broadcasting. Increasing the sowing rate significantly reduced the spike length, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike and test weight, but increased the germination count, number of tillers and plant height. The highest straw yield (72.59 quintal/ha) was obtained with sowing at 150 kg/ha, whereas the highest net return (10 932 rupees/ha) and benefit cost ratio (1.37) were obtained with sowing at 125 kg/ha. [1 quintal=100 kg].