EFFECT OF SOME FERTILIZER COMBINATIONS ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF WHEAT GROWN IN SALT – AFFECTED SOIL

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during seasons of 2012-2013 , 2013-2014and 2014-2015 at the Tuwaitha Research Station, 30 km southeast of Baghdad ,to study the effect of some of the fertilizer combinations on growth and yield ofwheat grown in calcareous soil with salinity of 15.67 dS.m-1. Saline well water(4.33dS.m-1) was used to irrigate plants. Five fertilizer combinations were used:ground fertilization with nitrogen and phosphorus F0(control), groundfertilization with three combination of N ,P, K, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu F1, F2 and F3,and foliar fertilization with potassium , iron, zinc , manganese, and copper F4. The results of three season means showed a significant increase in the drymatter and grain yield of the wheat crop during soil and leaf fertilization withthe selected combinations. The increase in grain yield for the three seasons was19.27%, 24.04%, 40.77% and 27.39% for F1, F2, F3 and F4 compared to the F0 .The yield components and ratios of potassium , calcium and magnesium tosodium in plant leaves were also significantly increased. This clearly shows thepositive and effective role of the combinations used to increase wheat tolerance tosalinity and yield enhancement.