INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF CROP RESIDUE AND N FERTILIZER FOR WHEAT PRODUCTION

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Farm, KPK Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan during winter 2005-2006. The treatments consisted of crop residue (stover & legume residue), two type of fertilizer-N (NH4-N & NO3-N) and their application time i.e. at sowing and 2nd node appearance stage. Higher spikes m(-2) and grain yield were recorded for nitrate-N application in split at the rate of 100 kg ha(-1) in combination with legume residue. Likewise, the highest grains spike(-1) was recorded for legume and cereal residue application along with nitrate and ammonium N application at the rate of 100 kg ha(-1), respectively. However, 1000 grain weight was higher for legume residue along with split application of ammonium-N at the rate of 100 kg ha(-1). Planned mean comparisons showed that control plots produced significantly less spikes m(-2), grains spike(-1), 1000 grain weight and grain yield as compared to mean of the rest of the treatments. Likewise, legume alone enhanced spikes production as compared to cereal in combination with N. Similarly, legume alone also performed better than cereal alone for improving grain weight. In the same manner, residue plus nitrate-N produced higher grain yield as compared to residue plus ammonium-N.