Effect of phosphorus, zinc and iron on Physico-chemical properties of soils and yield of wheat in loamy sand soils

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during two consecutive rabi seasons of 2009-10 and 2010-11 at the Agronomy farm, College of Agriculture, Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner to find out the effect of phosphorus, zinc and iron on yield and quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Loamy sand soils of Western Rajasthan with ten treatments comprising 4 levels of phosphorus (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg ha-1) and zinc (0, 3 and 6 kg ha-1) in main plots and 3 levels of iron (0, 3 and 6 kg ha-1) in split-plot design with three replications. Application of phosphorus up to 40 kg P2O5 ha-1 significantly increased the grain, straw and biological yields beyond which it increased non-significantly and registered a mean increase of 30.6 per cent over control. Application of phosphorus significantly improved the available phosphorus status of the soil after harvest of wheat while available Zn and Fe content in soil declined significantly during the study, however, Increasing levels of phosphorus did not significantly influence the pH, EC, CEC, organic carbon, nitrogen and potassium content of the soil after harvest of wheat. Application of zinc significantly improved the zinc status of the soil after harvest of wheat while available Fe content in soil declined significantly. Application of iron and did not influence the pH, EC, CEC, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium of the soil after harvest of wheat but have antagonistic effect with zinc.