Effect of Organic and Chemical Nitrogen Fertilizers on Grain Yield and Yield Components of Wheat and Soil Fertility

Effects of organic manure (poultry manure) applied alone and integrated with inorganic fertilizer (urea) on yield and yield component, N-uptake and soil fertility in wheat-maize cropping system was evaluated in a field experiment at Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan. Poultry manure was applied alone and were integrated in different proportions with mineral nitrogenous fertilizer to supply 120 kg.ha-1 N. The organic fertilizers were applied at sowing time and mineral fertilizer was applied in three splits, sowing, tillering and booting stages. The experiment was laid out according to RCBD with 6 treatments and 4 replications. The plot size was 4m x 3.5 m with twelve rows of wheat. Nitrogen was applied at the rate of 120 kg.ha-1 to wheat from organic and Chemical N sources i.e poultry manure (PM) and urea applied alone and in combination recommended rates of P and K at the rate of 75 and 60 kg.ha-1 respectively, were applied in the form of single super phosphate and potassium sulphate as basal application to all treatments at sowing time. The results showed that integrated use in different proportion increased the biological yield, grain yield, grain per spike, 1000-grain weight, and over control. After crop harvest soil was analyzed for total N, organic matter and available P and was found higher in treatments where poultry manure was applied alone and in integration with chemical N. Application of poultry manure proved beneficial and improved yield and improve soil fertility.