EFFECT OF PHOSPHATE FERTILIZER TYPE AND ITS LEVELS ON GROWTH, AND YIELD OF WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in a gypsiferous soil with a sandy loam texture to study effect of phosphate fertilizer type and its levels on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used with three replications. Two types of phosphate fertilizers (TSP-Triple Super Phosphate and DAP- Di Ammonium Phosphate) were applied in six levels (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 & 100) kg P ha-1 each symbolized P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 and P6. The total plots were 36 experimental units. Nitrogen fertilizer was added to all treatments at a rate of 200 kg N ha-1 in Urea form (46% N) at sowing time and at 45 days after emergence. Potassium fertilizer was added at rate of 165 kg K ha-1 in the form of potassium sulfate (43% K). As fertilizer level increasing, the results showed significant increases in plant height, spike number, and spike weight, as well as straw and grains yield for both fertilizer types. However, increases referring to TSP fertilizer were more important than those related to DAP fertilizer in the growth criteria's and yield components.