Evaluation of growth regulators and foliar nutrition for growth yield and seed quality of wheat triticum aestivum l under timely and late sown conditions

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out during rabi season of 2020-21 and 2021-22 at newlineNorman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and newlineTechnology, Pantnagar. The experiment involved wheat crop variety UP-2565 laidout in factorial newlinerandomized block design with two control in three replications. One factor consisted of two date of newlinesowing viz. timely (Nov 23) and late (Dec 15) and second factor consisted of foliar nutrition with newlinesix chemicals i.e. KCl at1 %, ascorbic acid at10 ppm, thiourea at400 ppm, cycocel at1000 ppm, newlinesalicylic acid at400 ppm and salicylic acid at800 ppm and third factor was spraying schedule newlinetwice i.e. at vegetative + anthesis and anthesis stage alone. newlineDelay in sowing from Nov 23 to Dec 15 brought significant reduction in grain yield by newline13.6 % and 12.9 % during 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively. Late sown crop exhibited newlinesignificantly higher canopy temperature, proline content and superoxide dismutase, lower relative newlinewater content and nitrate reductase activity. Commencement of days to booting, heading, anthesis newlineand physiological maturity occurred earlier in late sown crop as compared to timely sown wheat newlinecrop. Seed quality in terms of germination, seedling length, seedling dry weight, seedling vigour newlineindices, dehydrogenase and alpha amylase decreased in produce of late sown wheat crop, while, newlineseed protein content was significantly higher in late sown wheat crop. In contrast to this, starch newlinecontent was significantly higher in timely sown in comparison to late sown wheat. newlineDuring both the years, foliar nutrition significantly improved yield and seed quality of newlineboth timely and late sown crop than control. Foliar nutrition of salicylic acid at800 ppm and newlinethiourea at400 ppm recorded significantly higher biological and grain yield. Seed quality in terms newlineof germination and seedling vigour indices was significantly influenced by foliar nutrition of newlinesalicylic acid at800 ppm, KCl at1 % and thiourea at400 ppm whereas, dehydrogenase and alpha newlineamylase were significantly improved by salicylic acid at800 ppm and thiourea at400 ppm. Seed newlineprotein was significantly higher in salicylic acid at800 ppm and KCl at1 % while starch content, newlineproline , superoxide dismutase and relative water content were higher in salicylic acid at800 ppm. newlineNutrient uptake by the grain was significantly higher in salicylic acid at800 ppm and thiourea newlineat400 ppm giving the highest net return and B: C ratio. However spraying schedule of foliar newlinenutrition did not show significant variation on grain yield and seed quality parameters. newline