Study of the effect of foliar nutrition of zinc sulfate and urea on quantitative and qualitative yield of wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M. Sc. Graduate, Dept. of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

2 Assoc. Prof., Dept. of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of foliar nutrition with zinc sulfate and urea solution on growth, yield and yield components of wheat, a factorial experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design with three replications in Robat Karim, Tehran, Iran, in 2018-2019. Experimental factors was included foliar application at four levels (water spray as control, foliar application of zinc sulfate, foliar application of urea and combined application of zinc sulfate and urea) and wheat cultivars at two levels (Pishtaz and Sivand cultivars). The results showed that the interaction of cultivar and foliar application on spike length, 1000-grain weight, number of spikelet per spike, grain yield, harvest index, protein content, zinc content, maximum leaf area index, crop growth rate and total dry matter were significant. In most of the studied traits, combined foliar application of zinc sulfate and urea was superior to individual foliar application as well as water spray. The highest grain yield with 7.5 t/ha was obtained by combined foliar application of zinc sulfate and urea in Pishtaz cultivar and the lowest yield with 4.4 t/ha in Sivand cultivar with no fertilizer treatment. The maximum increase in dry matter and grain yield in combined foliar application of zinc sulfate and urea compared to the control treatment (without fertilizer) were observed in Pishtaz and Sivand cultivars, respectively. In this treatment, the increase in grain protein content in Pishtaz and Sivand cultivars was 27% and 31% and in grain zinc content was 49% and 65%, respectively. In total, Pishtaz cultivar showed more positive response to zinc sulfate and urea foliar application than Sivand cultivar.

Keywords


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