Abstract
Present energy crisis has increased the cost of fertilizer production and affected the supply in market. The problem becomes serious when the availability of nitrogen fertilizer especially urea is reduced during sowing season. It is reported in literature that fertilizer efficiency particularly urea application through soil is not as effective as if it is applied to plants through foliage along with soil application. Present study was planned to address this issue so that the yield losses due to non-availability of urea can be reduced by foliar application at various growth stages of wheat and economic use of nitrogen fertilizer. A field study was conducted for three consecutive years at Soil Chemistry Section, Institute of Soil Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute Faisalabad. Soil application of urea was compared with 1% spray of urea (6 sprays; from 2 leaves to booting stage), 2% spray of urea (at two leaves, tillering and booting stage), 3% spray of urea (at tillering and booting stage) and ½ urea as soil application + 2% spray of urea (at tillering and booting stage). Yield components, grain yield data, nitrogen concentration in grain and uptake and cost benefit ratio were calculated. Three year pooled wheat grain yield data indicated that ½ soil + 2 sprays of 2% urea significantly increased the grain yield (4.97 t ha-1) and was at par with soil application of urea. Concentration and uptake of nitrogen increased in grain by foliar application of urea as compared to soil application at sowing due to efficient mobilization of nitrogen to grain after foliar fertilization. Cost benefit ratio showed that although 2 and 3% foliar application of urea gave maximum return by spending minimum, however the grain yield was significantly lower than soil applied urea at sowing and integration of soil and foliar application of urea. The integrated use of soil and foliar application of urea gave statistically similar yield to soil applied urea at the time of sowing. It is concluded from the study that foliar application of urea [(2% spray of urea (at two leaves, booting and tillering stage) or 3% spray of urea (at tillering and booting stage)] along with soil application is economical and can compensate the yield losses.
Ifra Saleem, Shahid Javid, Riaz Ahmad Sial, Shabana Ehsan, Zahid Ashfaq Ahmad. (2013) Substitution of soil application of urea with foliar application to minimize the wheat yield losses, The Journal Soil & Environment , Volume 32, Issue 2.
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