Effect of Farmyard Manure, Potassium and Zinc on Wheat
under Rainfed Cropping Patterns

Khalid Nawab*, Amanullah** and Muhammad Arif**

* Department of Extension Education & Communication, NWFP Agricultural University Peshawar, Pakistan
Corresponding author: Dr. Khalid Nawab
 e-mail: nawab_aup@yahoo.com

** Department of Agronomy, NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

Concern for the sustainability of yield and soil fertility has led to a renewed interest in nutrients and crop management. Adequate and balanced nutrient supplies are essential factors in realizing the full potential of high-yielding varieties of cereal crops especially wheat. Long term sustainability of cropping systems must rely, as far as possible, on the use and effective management of natural resources. Balanced fertilization is the key to efficient fertilizer utilization of sustainable high yields. Nutrient stress can be a serious limiting factor for crop production in dry land agriculture. The basic concept underlying the integrated nutrition system is to provide ideal nutrients for a crop through proper combination of various nutrient resources and their optimum utilization along with maintenance of soil productivity and ecology. The objectives of this study were to study the effects of FYM, K and Zn and their interactions on yield and yield components of wheat and to find out the proper combination of FYM, K and Zn for wheat under rainfed cropping patterns. The experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Serai Naurang Bannu for two years during 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 using RCB design with split arrangements and four replications. Five cropping patterns (fallow-wheat, groundnut-wheat, mungbean-wheat, sorghum-wheat and pigeonpea-wheat) and FYM, K and Zn each at two levels were studied in the experiment. Data were recorded on yield and yield components of wheat during both the years. Cropping patterns significantly affected tillers m-2, grain and biological yields of wheat. Maximum tillers m-2 were noted in fallow-wheat cropping pattern while higher grain and biological yields were recorded in mungbean-wheat cropping pattern. Application of FYM significantly affected thousand grain weight and grain yield while application of Zn significantly affected  only thousand grain weight of wheat. It is concluded that FYM should be applied in mungbean-wheat cropping patterns for achieving higher yield of wheat in rainfed conditions.