STUDIES ON THE EFFECTS OF LIME PLACEMENT METHODS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF WHEAT

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at the Soil Science field laboratory of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, during December, 2016 to April 2017 to evaluate the effect of lime placement methods on yield and yield contributing characteristics, nutrients status of wheat (BARI Gom 26) and the impact on soil pH. The experiment comprised of five different methods of lime application viz. T1 {Broadcast Conventional method (Treated as control)}, T2 (Below seed), T3 (Seed + lime), T4 (In between two seed lines) and T5 (5 cm apart from seed line). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. Data were analyzed and the mean differences among the treatments were adjusted by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% level of significance. Number of tillers hill-1 , plant height (cm), spike- lets spike-1 , grain and straw yield (t ha-1 ), biological yield (t ha-1 ), harvest index (%), Ca and Mg content in soil, Ca and Mg content in grain showed statistically significant variation due to different placement methods of lime but spike length (cm), 1000 grains weight (g) and soil pH showed non-significant variation due to different placement methods of lime. The highest number of tillers hill-1 (298.50) was recorded in treatment T3 and the lowest (269.75) was recorded in treatment T1 which was statistically similar with the treatment T2. The highest plant height (95.35 cm) recorded in treatment T3 and the lowest (84.53 cm) was found in treatment T1 which was statistically similar with the treatment T4 .The highest spike length (9.39cm) was found in treatment T3 and the lowest (8.50cm) was found in treatment T1. The highest number of spike-lets spike-1 (22.40) was recorded in the treatment T3 and the lowest (19.04) was recorded in the treatment T1. The highest number of grains spike-1 (48.33) was recorded in the treatment T3 and the lowest (43.11) was recorded in the treatment T1. The treatment T3 produced the highest weight of 1000 grain 50.23 g and the treatment T1 produced the lowest grain weight of 1000 seeds of 49.22 g. The highest grain yield (4.25 t ha-1 ) and harvest index (45.75 %) was found in treatment T3. On the other hand the lowest grain yield (3.52 t ha-1 ) and harvest index (40.81%) was found in treatment T1. The highest soil pH (5.70) was observed from treatment T3 and the lowest soil pH (5.60) was observed from treatments T1, T2 and T5. So, treatment T3 should be recommended for application of lime in BARI Gom 26 cultivation in the study area of HSTU research field under the AEZ Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain.