Integration of compost with mineral NPK fertilizers for improving wheat yield and soil health

Abstract

Treating the soil with balanced and appropriate fertilizers is vital for obtaining optimum yield and maintaining soil health in a sustainable manner. One of the bottlenecks to sustainable agricultural production is soil depletion due to unbalanced fertilization. To overcome these problems, a pot experiment was carried out, to explore the potential of composts and mineral fertilizers on the soil health, yield and NPK uptake in wheat in calcareous soil. NPK were supplemented through different sources including T1: Control, T2: 100% NPK as compost I (CI), T3: 100% NPK as compost II (CII), T4: 50%NPK each as CI and mineral fertilizers, T5: 50%NPK each as CII and mineral fertilizers, T6: 100% NPK as mineral fertilizers (120: 90: 60 kg ha-1). Significantly taller plants of (92.6 cm), higher spike length (11.60 cm), thousand grain weight (47.54 g), biological yields (9706.2 kg ha-1) and grain yield (4070 kg ha-2) were recorded at T5. Similarly, maximum leaves N content (1.54%) and P content (0.19%), soil mineral N (192.8 kg ha-1), nitrogen use efficiency (36.1 higher over control) and minimum soil pH (7.76) were also recorded were also observed at in pots treated with (50% NPK each as CII and mineral fertilizers) while the organic matter was highest in pots treated with full dose of CI. Therefore, application of NPK 50% each as mineral fertilizers and compost (CII) is recommended for obtaining optimum crop yield and improved soil and crop quality under calcareous soils.