Response of Wheat to Different Seed and NPK Fertilizer Rates under the Agro-Climatic Conditions of a Cotton-Wheat Cropping System, Punjab, Pakistan

Author(s) : Ishtiaq Hassan1 , Muhammad Tariq1, Liaqat Ali2, Muhammad Shahid2, Muhammad Shahbaz3, Sidra Batool4, Amna Batool5, Muhammad Shafqat6, Memoona Shehzadi6, Muhammad Saleem Kashif8, Muhammad Shaiban7 and Ghulam Fareed3

Digital object identifier:

https://doi.org/10.52587/JAF060204

Abstract:

Wheat, being a staple food crop in Pakistan—especially under the cotton and wheat cropping system in Punjab—faces persistent yield stagnation due to inappropriate seed rates and imbalanced nutrient management. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of various seed rates and NPK fertilizer levels on yield parameters, overall yield, and nutrient use efficiency of wheat under the agro-climatic conditions of the cotton-wheat cropping system over two years (2020-21 and 2021-22) at the Adaptive Research Farm, Vehari, Punjab, Pakistan. The experiment included two seed rates (125 and 150 kg ha-1) and five different NPK fertilizer levels (recommended NPK of 158-114-62 kg ha-1, 12.5% increase, 12.5% decrease, 25% decrease, and 25% increase over the recommended NPK). Results showed a clear interaction between seeding rate and NPK level, with both significantly affecting yield and yield parameters across both growing seasons. The combined results indicated that the treatment with a 25% increase over the recommended NPK and a seed rate of 125 kg ha-1 produced the highest grain yield of 4046 kg ha-1, while the lowest yield of 3607 kg ha-1 was recorded from plots treated with 25% decrease over the recommended NPK. The highest agronomic use efficiency—1.01 kg grain per kg NPK—was also observed with the 25% increase over recommended NPK at a seed rate of 125 kg ha-1. This approach enhances grain yield, optimizes resource utilization, and supports sustainable wheat production practices in Pakistan.