EFFECT OF TILLAGE AND INTEGRATED PLANT NUTRIENTMANAGEMENT ON NITROGEN UPTAKE AND CROP YIELD OF WHEAT UNDER IRRIGATED CONDITION

The effects of tillage and integrated use of organic and inorganic fertilizers on N uptake and crop yield of wheat were studied in a field experiments at Agricultural Research Station, Serai Naurang, Bannu, Pakistan during 2010-11. Effects of two tillage methods (in main plots) and four fertilizer treatments (as sub-plots) were evaluated in RCBD split plot configuration. Tillage treatments consist of conventional till (CT) and deep till (DT). The various combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer were 60-45 kg ha^-1 NP (T1), 120-90-60 kg ha-^1 NPK (T2), 50 % N + PK + 10 t ha^-1 FYM (T3), and 25 % N + PK + 20 t ha^-1 FYM (T4). The results showed that tillage treatments had significant effect on wheat yield. Considering average yield over all fertilizer treatments, the mean wheat yield (biological, straw and grain) were 11.88, 8.28 and 3.60 t ha^-1 respectively for DT as compared to 10.99, 7.66 and 3.33 t ha^-1 for CT. Deep tillage significantly increased the wheat yield. Considering the fertilizer treatments, the maximum yield of 13.58, 9.51 and 4.07 t ha^-1 for biological, straw and grain yield respectively of wheat were obtained from treatment receiving 50 % N + PK + 10 t ha^-1 FYM (T3). The treatment (T4), receiving 25 % N + PK + 20 t ha^-1 FYM produced significantly lower yields. Similarly tillage and fertilizer treatments had a positive effect on N uptake of wheat crop. The soil of DT treatment had consistently the highest N uptake in grain (84.18 kg ha^-1) and straw (27.38 kg ha^-1) compared to the 68.75 and 25.19 kg ha^-1 in grain and straw respectively under CT. The fertilizer treatment (T3) recorded significantly high N uptake in grain (96.73 kg ha^-1) and straw (34.05 kg ha-1) as compared to other fertilizer treatments.