Improving Farmer’s Income and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Dry Land Wheat through Soil and Foliar Application of N-Fertilizer

The current research study was conducted at “Agricultural Research Institute, D.I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan” during wheat crop season of 2013-14. The major aims of the study were to test the effect and economics of soil vs. foliar applied nitrogen fertilizer and nitrogen use efficiency on wheat variety Hashim-08. The experimental trial was conducted following RCB design with three replications. Fertilizer applications (foliar and soil) were assigned to main plots, while nitrogen levels 0, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 120 kg ha^-1 were kept in sub plots. Results revealed that foliar application of N significantly (P≤0.05) affected plant height (89 cm), tillers m^-2 (313), grains spike^-1 (48), 1000-grain weight (43.0 g) and economic yield (3760 kg ha-1). Foliar applied nitrogen also produced higher nitrogen use efficiency, net return, value cost ratio and relative increase in income as compared to soil applied method. However, maximum grain protein content was recorded in soil applied method in comparison to foliar N application. In conclusion, higher results for all the quantitative parameters were observed at 120 kg N ha^-1.