INFLUENCE OF VARIETIES AND SEEDING RATES ON GROWTH, PRODUCTIVITY, DISEASE REACTION AND ECONOMICS OF WHEAT IN NORTHWEST INDIA

Abstract

The field experiment on influence of varieties and seeding rates on growth, productivity, disease reaction and economics of wheat was conducted at the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India and its regional stations Bathinda and Gurdaspur in 2007-08 to 2008-09. The experiment was conducted in split plot design with three varieties, PBW 550, PBW 343 and DBW 17 as main plot treatments and four seed rates, 87.5, 100, 112.5 and 125 kg/ha as sub plot treatments having four replications. The highest ears/m2 was recorded in variety PBW 343 which was significantly higher than DBW 17 at Bathinda and Gurdaspur but not at Ludhiana. The highest grains/ear were recorded in variety PBW 550 which was significantly higher than PBW 343 and DBW 17. The yellow rust score of variety PBW 343 was 80S at Gurdaspur and 60S at Ludhiana which was epidemic year for yellow rust but PBW 550 and DBW 17 show almost similar response to yellow rust (5S to 20 MS). The significantly higher productivity was recorded in PBW 550 at all the locations in all the years except in Ludhiana Increased seed rate, increased the plant stand, photosynthetically active radiation interception and leaf area index. The highest ears/m2 was recorded in seed rate of 125 kg/ha which was statistically on par with seed rate of 112.5 kg seed/ha but was significantly higher than seed rate of 87.5 and 100 kg/ha. There was no trend for different diseases with respect to seed rate. The highest productivity was recorded in 112.5 kg seed rate/ha which was significantly higher than all the other seed rates. The highest grain yield of PBW 550 at seed rate of 112.5 kg/ha was statistically on par with only PBW 550 at 125 kg seed rate/ha but significantly higher than all the other varieties at all the seed rates. The highest gross, net returns and B:C ratio recorded in PBW 550 at 112.5 kg seed rate/ha.