Nitrogen and Sulfur Rates and Timing Effects on Phenology, Biomass Yield and Economics of Wheat

Management of nutrients has a great impact over the yield and quality of crops as well as soilhealth. An experiment was performed to investigate the impact of nutrients management and applicationtime over the yield and yielding attributes of wheat at the Agronomy Research Farm in the University of Agriculture,Peshawar, Pakistan during winter 2014-15. The experiment was designed in RCBD with split plotsarrangement, replicated four times. Three levels of nitrogen (N) (90, 120, 150 kg ha^-1) were allotted to mainplots, while combination of sulfur (S) levels (15, 30, 45 kg ha^-1) and application timings (100% at sowing,100% at tillering and 50% at sowing + 50% at tillering) along with a control were allotted to the sub plots.Data regarding number of productive and unproductive tillers m^-2, thousand grain weight, grains spike^-1, biomassyield and value cost ratio (VCR) of wheat were significantly affected by N and S. Sulfur and its applicationtime prominently influenced the productive tillers m^-2 and biomass yield. Nitrogen at 150 kg ha^-1 resultedin more number of productive tillers m^-2, less un-productive tillers m^-2 and higher thousand grain weight,biological yield and higher value cost ratio. Sulfur at 45 kg produced higher productive tillers m-2, thousandgrain weight, grains spike-1 and biomass yield. Sulfur applied 50% at sowing and 50% at tillering significantlyinfluenced number of productive tillers m^-2 and biological yield (9704 kg ha^-1). It was concluded from theanalysis of data that nitrogen at the rate of 150 kg ha^-1 with sulfur at the rate of 45 kg ha^-1 applied 50% at sowing + 50% at tillering significantly contributed towards the economics and reproductive traits of wheat.