Integrated Usage of Farm Yard Manure and Urea Improves Wheat Yield and Soil Properties

Abstract

Optimum usage of fertilizers is an important factor that defines the fate of crop yield by confirming the accessibility of nutrients in soil. Imbalance use of fertilizer not only reduces the crop productivity but also adversely affects the soil properties. A one-year experiment was carried out to explore the impact of different levels of farm yard manure and urea on soil properties, growth and yield of wheat crop. Treatments were application of nitrogen at i) 125 kg ha-1 from urea, ii) 80 kg ha-1 of nitrogen from urea + 10 tons of farm yard manure ha-1 and iii) 20 tons of farm yard manure ha-1. Wheat cultivar Sehar-2006 was used in the experiment. All the treatments’ combination affected crop growth, economic yield and soil properties. However, maximum positive impact of combined use of farm yard manure and urea was observed. Results indicated that productive tillers per unit area (16%), plant height, number of spikelets per spike (12.5%) and economical yield (11%) were greatly enhanced by combined usage of urea and farm yard manure as compared to sole application of urea. Combined application of urea and farm yard manure also positively affected the soil bulk density, particle density, percent porosity and soil saturated hydraulic conductivity as compared to either sole use of urea or farm yard manure. Combined usage of farm yard manure and urea are suggested better to produce higher economical yield along with improved soil properties.