Influence of nano fertilizers on phenological development and biomass accumulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Student's Instruction Farm, CSAUAT, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, during the Rabi season of 2022-2023 to assess the effects of nano fertilizers on wheat growth and productivity. The study utilized a randomized block design with fourteen treatments, each replicated three times. Results indicated that applying 75% of the recommended nitrogen dose (RDN) along with phosphorus and potassium (PK) and a foliar spray of 4 ml nano urea per litre of water significantly enhanced yield attributes and economic returns, such as grain and straw yields. This treatment performed comparably to the full recommended dose of fertilizers (120:60:40 kg NPK ha-1) and demonstrated the highest grain yield (5.86 t ha-1) and straw yield (8.19 t ha-1), with the next best results observed in the 100% RDF treatment. Additionally, the 75% RDN + nano urea treatment produced the tallest plants at 40, 60 and 90 days after sowing (35.02 cm, 70.03 cm and 93.49 cm, respectively) and the greatest dry matter accumulation at the same intervals (59.06 g m-2, 440.25 g m-2 and 725.24 g m-2 respectively). The study concluded that integrating nano fertilizers, particularly the combination of 75% RDN with nano urea, improved wheat yields and profitability, offering a promising alternative to conventional fertilizer practices