Effect of Sowing Dates and Seed Rates on the Agro-Physiological Traits of Wheat

Abstract

Wheat yield in Pakistan is very low due to improper seed rate and not sowing the crop at proper time. Delay in sowing of wheat causes linear reduction in grain yield. To evaluate the effect of seed rates and sowing dates on agro-physiological traits of wheat an experiment was conducted at New Developmental Farm, The University of Agriculture Peshawar-Pakistan during winter 2012-13. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split plot arrangement having three replications was used. Sowing dates (29^th October, 10^th November, 24^th November, 10^th December, 26^th December and 10^th January) were kept in the main plots, whereas, seed rates (120,150,180 kg ha^-1) were allotted to sub plots. Wheat variety “SIRAN-2010” was sown in a plot size of 5m x 1.8m (9 m²), having six rows with row to row distance of 30 cm and row length 5m. All the standard agronomic practices were uniformly adopted for the whole experiment. Results showed that maximum spikes m^-2 (411), grains spike^-1 (52), thousand grains weight (43 g), biological yield (12327 kg ha^-1) and grain yield (5587 kg ha^-1) were recorded in plots sown at 10th November. Seed rate of 150 kg ha^-1 showed maximum number of grains spike^-1 (44), spikes m^-2 (307), thousand grains weight (37g), biological yield (9568 kg ha^-1) and grain yield (4296 kg ha^-1). It was concluded from the results that wheat should preferably be sown between 29^th October and 24^th November at 150 kg ha^-1 seed rate to get higher grain yield in Peshawar valley.