Effect of sowing date and phosphorus fertilizer on growth and yield of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. ).

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the experimental farm, Agriculture College, Karbala University, during 2007-2008 growing season. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of sowing date (15/11 , 25/11 and 5/12 ) assigned in the main plots and 5 levels of phosphorus ( 0,30,60,90 and 120) kg P2O5 ha assigned in the subplots on some characteristics of wheat plant. Plant growth , yield and yield components of wheat plant cv. Alfateh were determined. The experiment was arraneed as split–plot within randomized complete block design R.C.B.D. means were compared using LSD at p= 5%. Results could be summarized as follow : First and second sowing dates gave the highest number of spike/ m2 and biological yield. The second sowing date gave the highest number of grains / spike . whereas the third sowing date gave the highest weight of 1000 grains. The highest percentage of determination coefficient(r2) during 1st sowing date was obtained from flag leaf area and number of grains per spike (0.82 and 0.77),. respectively . The highest percentage of determination coefficient during the second sowing date was obtained from the biological yield ,flag leaf area ,number of grains / spike and number of spike /m2 (0.93 ,0.83,0.77 and 0.76 ), respectively. The third sowing date gave the highest percentage of determination coefficient represented from 1000 grains weight. Regarding phosphorus fertilization ,120 kg P2O5/ha gave the highest flag leaf area , number of spike / m2 , number of grains/ spike and grains yield (46.59 cm2 , 346.60 spike , 36.83 grains and 5310 kg P2O5/ha ), respectively.