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Wheat Information Service
Number 71: 19-22(1990)


Influence of some wild plant and crop residues on growth and nutrient content of wheat

S.M. Alam

Atomic Energy Agricultural Research Centre, Tandojam, Pakistan


Summary

A pot experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of incorporation in soil of plant residues on growth and nutrient content. of wheat (cv. Sarsabz). Growth parameters and grain yield significantly increased with the incorporation of plant residues. Maximum grain yield compared to control, was obtained when Prosopis residue was incorporated. The N, P, K, Ca and Na contents in wheat plant at both harvests increased in majority of the cases compared to control. It was concluded that plant residue incorporation has beneficial effect on wheat.


Introduction

Plant residues from various sources constitute an important component of the soil. These materials in the form of living, dying and dead plant tissues, each with immense chemical diversity, are ultimately decomposed through the action of biotic and abiotic agencies. Incorporation of crop residues into the soil not only plays an important role in the soil's chemical and biochemical environment, but also affects the rate at which nutrients become available to crop plants as well as to other forms of life in soil (Darra et al 1968; Mogdoff and Amadon 1980; Power and Legg 1978). During the decomposition many complex interactions, transformations and synthesis also occur. Thus, at any one time, the soil and the environment of plant roots could contain a vast variety of chemical compounds and plant nutrients many of which, no doubt, have important effects on all phases of plant development (Pannamperuma 1984; Sain and Broadbent 1974). Some wild plants such as prosopis (mesquite), withania (somnifera) and abutilon which are common in the sorthern part of Pakistan are reported to have very high antibacterial activities (Naqvi et al 1987). In their laboratory studies residues have shown active inhibitory effects on the nitrification of nitrogenous fertilizers (Alam and Azmi 1989).

The ultimate benefit of any plant residue addition to soil would depend on the ability of the organic matter to create a favourable environment in the soil to supply the essential plant nutrients and thus reducing the addition of artificial chemical fertilizers to soil. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the effect of the incorporation of plant residues and farm yard manure on the growth, yield and nutrient content of wheat crop.


Materials and Methods

The soil collected from AEARC, farm, Tandojam was alluvial in nature and alkaline in reaction. Some of its properties were as, pH 7.8, N 0.069%, T.S.S. 0.10%, CaC03 12.5% and organic matter 1.25%. It was air-dried, powdered and pass through a 2mm sieve and 8 kg lots were weighed into plastic pots. An amount of 50 kg N/ha + 50 kg P205/ha was given to pots having the powdered residues separately of prosopis, withania and abutilon at the rate of 3g/kg soil. N was applied in the form of urea and P in the form of single superphosphate. To the other pots where full dose of 100g N/ha + 50 kg P2O5/ha added were also incorporated separately with 3g powdered residues/kg soil of wheat and rice straws, rice husk, neem leaf and farm yard manure. A control treatment was also maintained without the addition of any residue. The chemical composition of the residues added to pots are given in Table 1. The NP fertilizers and plant residues were mixed well with the soil. The pots were watered to field capacity. Ten wheat seeds (cv. Sarsabz) per pot were sown. After germination, four seedlings/pot were maintained. The pots were arranged in a randomized block design with four replications. The plants were irrigated with water as and when needed. After 60 days of growth, plant height and number of tillers were recorded. At this stage, third leaf from each treatment was also collected for chemical analysis. The second harvest was carried out at 75 days. The rest of the plants were harvested at maturity and growth parameters and yield contributing characters were recorded. Plant samples of first and second harvests were ground in a Wiley mill. One gram of sample was digested using concentrated sulphuric acid and 30 percent hydrogen peroxide. Total P was determined using vanadomolybdo-yellow colour method (ASA 1982). Nitrogen was estimated by micro-kjeldahl method and K, Ca and Na by flame photometer.

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