Integrated use of manure and urea fertilizer economically improve wheat production and nitrogen indices in a range of tillage practices

Authors: MOHAMMED, IHASAN - Northwest University; WANG, JUN - Northwest University; Sainju, Upendra; KHAN, AHMED - University Of Agriculture - Pakistan; YANG, LI - Guangxi University; AHMAND, SHAKEEL - Guangxi University; ZHAN, YINING - Northwest University; FAHAD, SHAH - Northwest University; ZHOU, XUN BO - Guangxi University; SHEN, WEIJUN - Guangxi University

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Growth Regulation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/17/2023
Publication Date: 10/1/2023
Citation: Mohammed, I., Wang, J., Sainju, U.M., Khan, A., Yang, L., Ahmand, S., Zhan, Y., Fahad, S., Zhou, X., Shen, W. 2023. Integrated use of manure and urea fertilizer economically improve wheat production and nitrogen indices in a range of tillage practices. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-023-11117-6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-023-11117-6

Interpretive Summary: Continuous application of nitrogen fertilizer has decreased winter wheat yield and degraded soil and environmental quality in developing countries. Information is needed about the effect of a combination of farmyard manure (FYM) and inorganic N fertilizer on winter wheat production and net income. Researchers at ARS, Sidney MT in collaborations with Northwest University, Xian, and University of Agriculture in Peshawar, Pakistan reported that minimum tillage increased wheat grain yield by 12% and nitrogen uptake by 16% compared to deep tillage. A mixture of manure providing 75% nitrogen and inorganic fertilizer providing 25% nitrogen to supply nitrogen at the recommended rate (120 kg N/ha) increased wheat yield by 28%, nitrogen uptake by 10%, nitrogen content (associated with protein content) by 11%, value cost ratio by 262%, and net return by 190% compared to inorganic fertilizer alone. Winter wheat yield, quality, and net return can be increased by using minimum tillage and a combination of manure supplying 75% nitrogen and inorganic fertilizer supplying 25% nitrogen N in the central Pakistan.

Technical Abstract: Tillage and integrated nutrient treatment (INT) can improve wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop productivity and farmer’s income on a sustainable basis compared to any fertilizer alone. This work aims to determine the effect of tillage and fertilization (a mixture of farmyard manure (FYM) and inorganic N fertilizer (urea)) on wheat yield, quality, nitrogen indices, and net return from 2013 to 2015 at The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan. Treatments included three tillage practices (reduced tillage [RT], conventional tillage [CT], and deep tillage [DT]) and six fertilization (control (no-fertilization), and 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% N derived from FYM and remaining N from urea designated as control, M0F100, M25F75, M50F50, M75F25, and M100F0, respectively) to supply a recommended amount of 120 kg N ha-1 for wheat by local farmers. The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design, with tillage as the main plot and fertilization as the sub-plot treatment with three replicates. The RT increased wheat grain yield by 12% and N uptake by 16% compared to DT. The M75F25 treatment increased wheat yield by 28%, N uptake by 10%, N content (associated with protein content) by 11%, value–cost ratio by 70%, and net return by 190% compared to M0F100. However, no differences in nitrogen use efficiency were noted when > 25% FYM was used as an N source. It was concluded from the experiment that the wheat yield, quality, and net return could be increased by using RT and M75F25, which is advisable practice for wheat production and net return in arid climatic conditions.