Effect of various biofertilizers applied at different nitrogen levels on growth, yield and nitrogen use efficiency of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2020-2021 at agronomy research farm of lovely professional university, phagwara. The experimental composed of 3 nitrogen levels (N0- 0% RDN, N50- 50% RDN, and N100- 100% RDN) in main plots and 4 biofertilizers i.e. BO-(no biofertilizer), BC -(Consortium), BA – (Azotobacter) and BAZ- (Azospirillum) in subplots with 12 treatment combinations in split plot design with three replications. Based on the complete analysis of experimental results it is concluded that irrespective of biofertilizers, there was a significant increase in growth parameters, yield parameters and yield, NUE and quality parameters at N50 compared to N0. There was further significant increase when N was increased to N100. All the biofertilizers irrespective of N levels, increased the growth parameters, yield parameters and yield, NUE and quality parameters significantly as compared to B0 and the differences among the biofertilizers were non-significant. However, the interaction between various levels of nitrogen and different biofertilizers on was non-significant but BC, BA, BAZ were produced significantly higher plant height, dry matter accumulation, crop growth rate, leaf area and leaf area index, spike length, number of grains spike-1, biological yield when applied in combination with N50 which further increased significantly at N100. Different biofertilizers applied in combination with N100 resulted in higher economic returns and B:C ratio.